The Warrior and the Fox
by LightBloom
Summary: Terra used to only have to worry about his siblings overrunning the house while he was gone. Now, ever since a certain incident, all his attention was focused on a mysterious Kitsune by the name of Aqua. AU
1. A Fateful Encounter

Terra wasn't sure if he could call today's events a 'fateful encounter'. Sure, he hadn't been expecting it and his family seemed to think highly of his day, but he wasn't too sure yet. It wasn't like the heavens had torn apart and given him praise. He honestly didn't understand what the big deal was. A small tug at his sleeve pulled him away from that train of thought. A bright smile met his eyes, his younger brother climbing into his lap. "Terra, tell it again!"

"Tell what again?" He asked, completely lost.

His father laughed from across the table. "He wants to hear about your day again," He explained, humor lacing his voice as he struggled to keep a straight face.

Terra instantly smiled, brushing back his brother's hair and ruffling it enough to cause static.

"Again?" He teased, pinching at the others chubby cheeks. "Weren't the last four times bad enough Ventus?"

Ventus pouted, his short arms reaching up and patting down his frizzed hair. The yellow fluff refused to cooperate and instead, stuck out in all directions. Not that it was any different from its usual bedhead appearance, noted Terra with a grin. Ventus huffed. "Five times is better!" He insisted stubbornly, hands still holding his hair down in a vain attempt to make it go flat.

Terra sighed. "Alright, one more time—"

"I don't want to hear it anymore Ven!" snapped Vanitas, barely visible from under the table. He sat up and glared at his brother. "It's boring and stupid!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes, it is!"

"No it's not!" whined Ventus, pout growing more and more every second. "It's not boring or stupid! You're being mean Van!"

"Well you're being stupid Ventus," retorted Vanitas with a sneer. Eraqus gave him a stern look.

"Vanitas—"

"I know, I know, I'm going, I'm going," he muttered quietly, walking off towards his room. Casting a short glance towards his younger and eldest brother, he scowled, pushing the cloth curtain that separated the rooms aside and exiting the room. Ventus looked about ready to cry.

"Don't cry Ventus…" Terra suppressed a groan. Vanitas had to be such a pain sometimes. "Do you really want to hear it again?"

Ventus immediately brightened. "You're gonna tell it again?" He chirped.

"Only once and if you're actually quiet this time—"

"Promise!"

Terra smiled. Ventus was such a good kid.

"Alright, so I was walking back from the village with dad's sword—"

"Because he sent it to the blacksmith!"

"_Ventus…"_

"Sorry…"

"Anyways," Terra continued, eyeing the boy with a frown. "I was just about to cross the bridge-"

"The one with the cherry blossom tree on the other side!"

"Ventus, do you want to hear this story or not?"

"…Okay."

"So," Terra began again, hoping it was the last interrupting as Ventus leaned against his chest, feet drumming on the floor and a hum emitting softly from his throat. He was a good kid; however much impatient. "I was about to cross the bridge when I thought I saw something in the river. I put dad's sword down—"He heard Ventus mutter something similar to 'it would rust if it got wet'—"and started heading for the water. I didn't notice that the ice on the rocks hadn't melted from winter yet though, and I fell head first into the water, hitting my head on the rocks."

Ventus gasped dramatically. "Then what happened?"

Terra grinned. "I don't know. I thought I was dead when I woke up. I was facing towards the sky, and all I could see were clouds. But then, I heard something next to me. I looked over and there was a girl in a strange kimono, standing over my things and what had been in the river."

Ventus yawned. "And then what happened?" He muttered drowsily.

"She stood up and I realized she had ears and a tail; that's when it hit me. She was a kitsune. A kitsune girl had seen me fall and saved my life. I was going to thank her but she heard me move and ran. She left behind a bracelet—this bracelet, on the table. That's it."

Ven's soft snores against his chest proved that the tale didn't have to be repeated again. Eraqus chuckled quietly. "He really does like your stories."

"I just wish he'd stop thinking my life is a fairy tale," Terra muttered, adjust his brothers weight so he could carry him to bed. "He's almost seven now, you'd think he'd learn."

"I think it's alright for him to believe—"

"He has to grow up sometime—"

"He believes in you Terra, not a fairy tale." Eraqus only smiled. "Either way, I was meaning to ask whether or not you were planning on returning this to your fair maiden?"

His sons face heated up instantly, and Eraqus watched in amusement as Terra sputtered out incoherent sounds. "What-No-I"

"It's alright," Eraqus said cheerily, turning back to the dirty plates on the table. "I completely understand. You might want to return it though; I hear Kitsune's can be very mischievous when they think something precious to them has been stolen."

Terra huffed, saying nothing as he went to put Ventus into bed. Vanitas peered up from his spot on the bed, scoffing as Ventus was carefully laid down next to him. "Idiot," he muttered, turning onto his side.

Terra frowned. "Can't you at least try to be nicer to him? I know you aren't exactly best friends but you are brothers—"

"Correction, we are living under the same roof."

"How can you be so bitter at 13?"

"Aren't most teenagers emotional and uncooperative?"

"I give up," Terra groaned, turning to leave.

"…Terra?"

"Yes Van?"

"…How is Sora feeling?"

"Better, but he still needs to sleep."

"…and Roxas?"

"Same." Terra frowned. "Is that all?"

"Don't forget that kitsune's bracelet. I'd hate to have a generations worth of curses because you stole it from her."

Terra scowled angrily, storming away.

* * *

><p>Terra went back to the bridge at night, when his family was asleep and no one would be awake to tease him endlessly about taking them seriously. Really, since when were kitsune's actually real? No one believed those fairy tales anymore; well, no one except maybe Ventus and Sora. But Ven believed just about everything and Sora was well…four.<p>

Still, whether or not it was a kitsune, it had still been a girl (he was sure of it) and out of curiosity and chivalry, chivalry triumphed enough for him to return to the bridge.

"Hello?" He cleared his throat, gripping his father's sword nervously. Perhaps, coming at night was not his brightest idea after all. "Is anyone out there?"

Crickets responded eagerly to his call, as if mocking him. Frowning, he fished around for the bracelet, holding it out like a torch once he had it in his grasp. "I came back to give this to you. You left it behind."

No one responded. He sighed. It was hopeless; she was probably fast asleep at home anyways. "Well…If you want it, I guess I can leave it on the tree."

"You…came back?"

Terra cried out loudly, jumping forward a good three feet and skittering back a bit before realizing that it was the girl. Ignoring his pounding heart, his eyes scanned her from head to toe—quite literally. She was barefoot, her movements like a dance in her flowing kimono and her cerulean eyes curiously studying him. At the top of her head were two large ears and a fluffy tail whipped in and out of view. She leaned in, staring at the object in his hand. "What's that?"

"What—oh this?" He held up the bracelet. "You mean…this isn't yours?"

She shook her head, ears flicking back. "No, I don't recognize it as mine. I thought it was yours; you were clinging to it when I pulled you out of the river. I thought that it was something important to you."

Terra drooped visibly. "No, no, it wasn't mine. It must've been what I saw in the river."

"Oh," She shifted awkwardly. "Was…that the only reason you came by?"

"Well, yes, honestly," he muttered sheepishly. "I also wanted to thank you—"

"It's alright," she murmured, turning tail and heading for the river.

"Wait!"

She hesitated, as if arguing on whether to listen or not. Slowly, she turned back to him. "Yes?"

He tossed the bracelet towards her, watching as she instinctively caught it. "Here, as a thank you gift."

She flushed. "It's not necessary—"

"I want you to have it."

She averted her eyes. "…T-Thank you."

"I'm Terra. What's your name?"

"A-Aqua."

"Will I see you again?"

She bit her lip, playing with the thought. Kitsune's weren't supposed to save humans; let alone befriend them. But…he was awfully nice and didn't seem to be afraid of her. She shook her head furiously when she came to her conclusion. Yen Sid was going to be so upset.

"Tomorrow, in the afternoon, under this tree. I'll wait for you there." She called back, rushing down the slope and under the bridge towards the invisible door that would lead her home. Xion, Kairi, and Naminé would be waiting home worried. The times of the human and kitsune world didn't match up after all; they would be concerned with her sudden disappearance in midday. Not to mention Yen Sid's rage upon discovering what she'd done.

Aqua groaned quietly, stepping through the gate as quietly as she could. What on earth was she doing?

* * *

><p>Terra arrived back home at almost daybreak, carefully setting the sword down where it belonged. Tiptoeing past his father's room, he smiled, swelling with pride at not being caught.<p>

"Good morning Terra," Eraqus called from the dining room. "Since you were so kind to stay awake all night, I trust you have enough energy to wake everyone else up and begin the chores?"

Maybe that kitsune had given him bad luck after all.


	2. A Secret

**I think I rewrote this chapter like fifty times before I was satisfied. **

**I should be doing my Japanese Homework. **

**But I'm on here instead ha!**

**Enjoy!  
><strong>

* * *

><p>Terra felt like doing nothing more than collapsing onto his bed after a mornings worth of hard work. He'd woken Ventus (Van was already awake) and checked to see how Sora and Roxas were feeling before making everyone breakfast. Not that he got to enjoy it. Eraqus had sent him out to feed the chickens and bring out the cattle, as well as water the horses and feed the pigs. Then he had to fix the roof and finish making lunch while he made sure that Vanitas didn't try to leave Ventus behind on their way to school <em>and<em> plant the new rows of vegetables that would keep them fed for spring.

Terra sighed, leaning back against the wall. Eraqus glanced at his exhausted son, clearly amused. "If you hadn't stayed up all night, you wouldn't be doing this you know," he chided gently, resuming his needlework on Sora's pants. Sora had an awful habit of ruining almost every article of clothing he owned.

Terra nodded tiredly. "I know, but I'm a _warrior._ I'm meant to be out in the fields fighting for my family's honor and defending this land. Training new recruits."

"I was a warrior once too Terra, in my younger years." Reminded his father, holding the pants up to the sun before deeming them well enough for wear. "And if there was anything I learned during those times, it was that family came first and before your country and family's honor."

His son fell silent, watching the horizon through the window with a serious expression. Eraqus sighed quietly, folding the clothes and gently pushing them off to the side. "Times are changing Terra; I know you're frustrated by my insistence over preserving our old ways and manners, but you must understand that while change is good, we cannot forget the lessons our family has learned through generations of living. I will teach you how fight like a warrior, but I will not have you going off to battles that serve no purpose. Your job is here, guarding our family."

Terra nodded solemnly, forcing himself to look his father in the eye. "I understand…"

Nodding curtly, Eraqus reached over and held out Terra's sword. "I gave this to you as a gift; a well-earned prize for learning and cherishing history. It is easy to forget the past sometimes; to make the same mistakes. I want to make sure that none of you make that mistake."

Terra stretched out and grasped the sword with confidence. "A sword that I will use to protect, right Father?"

Eraqus nodded, softening and seemingly glowing with pride. "Correct; now go. I suspect your brothers will be excused from class soon and you know as well as I do that Ventus would be abandoned and teased mercilessly if you let Vanitas walk him home."

Scowling at the thought, Terra nodded, getting to his feet. "I'll be back in time to cook dinner—"

"Don't worry about that; you're excused of chores for the rest of the day. I think you've paid off your punishment well enough." Eraqus waved an arm aimlessly towards the door. "Go, let them play and enjoy the day."

Terra smiled, grasping the sword tightly with excitement. "Thank you Father—oh! And before I forget—Kitsune's!"

"Yes? What about them?"

"Um…they're just like foxes, aren't they? Just in a human form?"

Eraqus' expression darkened. "Don't dare to tell that to a Kitsune, lest they decide to haunt your life for good Terra. Foxes are foxes, animals and nothing more. I hear that in some foreign lands however, foxes have their own history and powers as well. The word Kitsune _is_ the rough translation but they are _not _the same and do not let others fool you with their idiocy. You must be very careful when handling Kitsune's. They are mischievous, cunning, and wise; many are known to take human forms when seducing men. If you find yourself near one again, I would advise you avoid contact if possible and if not, try your best not to insult them. A lifetime for them is a long time to hold a grudge."

Terra nodded, heart pounding against his chest nervously. "Alright, thank you."

Eraqus nodded wearily, closing his eyes tiredly before giving his son another look over. He was so young; yet so eager to learn and help the world. God forbid he makes the mistake between a fox and a Kitsune ever again; not only would he be one hand short with the children, only time would tell when it's wrath would end. Eraqus looked out the window instead, sighing deeply as he watched Terra make his way down their unevenly paved path.

"It was fortunate for you to meet one who took pity on you; however that may not be the case next time. Best be on your guard."

* * *

><p>Aqua was nervously brushing down her furry tail meticulously, glancing over her shoulder every few seconds as if expecting someone to grab and drag her back home. A black tail swept across her face, twitching in annoyance. "Aqua, you can go, it's alright."<p>

Aqua hissed in embarrassment, her face heating up instantly. Ignoring her flushed features, she pushed the tail out of her face. "Xion! I told you to stay home with Kairi and Naminé!"

"They fell asleep already," Xion answered simply, blue eyes studying Aqua. Locking her legs on the branch she was on, she swung down to look at her directly. "It's fine. I'll make sure no one knows where you went. It's a promise."

Aqua smiled softly, brushing back Xion's black bangs and nodding. "An oath I will hold you to, I think. Thank you Xion. What did I ever do to deserve such kindness?"

"Well, I'm your sister, for one…"

* * *

><p>Terra glanced up at the sun tiredly, gripping his sword a little tighter with confidence as he strode up to the schoolhouse. A young woman in a black work dress stopped sweeping to look up, a smile gracing her features when she recognized him. "Terra! It's good to see you!" She exclaimed warmly, rushing over to embrace him.<p>

He returned the embrace awkwardly, trying not injure either of them with her broom. "Are they still in class?"

"Yes, they are," she replied happily, swinging the broom back and forth between hands. "Why?"

He smiled weakly. "I was wondering if you could ask Zack to do me a favor?"

"We've been friends since childhood Terra, do we really need to ask?"

He smiled. "Ask him to watch Vanitas and Ventus for a while after class? I have something I need to take care of-"

Tifa shook her head, pushing him back towards the street. "Just go; we'll handle it. Zack has a way with kids either way; especially Ven."

Terra frowned, grumpily muttering, "It's not him I'm worried about."

She laughed, turning back to her chores. "Aerith is there too; she can handle _him_ better than anyone can, I think. Van doesn't seem to mind her as much as everyone else."

Terra laughed boisterously. "I think I can agree with that," he murmured, waving over his shoulder as he made his way back to the bridge. Gripping the sword nervously, he ran his fingers over the scabbard meticulously, trying to focus on it rather than what awaited him under the tree. Was he doing the right thing? She didn't seem to mean any harm; besides, who would save someone from death and then ruin the rest of their life? It didn't make any sense. The girl herself went against all expectations by just saving him, let alone agreeing to meet him again.

He felt a lump gather in his throat as he saw the dying leaves of the cherry tree coming into view. Well, it was now of never he supposed. His heart was pounding a little harder than usual but curiosity got the best of him. Taking the last few steps, he hesitated. No one was there. Turning back towards the town, Terra began muttering a few curses under his breath. Of course she wouldn't meet him here again; she was a Kitsune. They were supposed to play trick on people, why would any of that change—

"You actually came back."

Terra jumped back, hand frantically reaching for his sword out of trained habit. Aqua tensed, her tail twitching; her weight shifting and balancing carefully in case she needed to bolt. Was Yen Sid right? Were humans really just angry violent creatures that would slay her kind if they had a chance?

Terra however, relaxed a bit. His hand dropped from his sword and he let out a whoosh of restrained breath. His shoulders slumped, weakly chuckling as he took a step closer. "You startled me," he murmured. "I didn't hear you come at all. Of course I came back; you asked me to."

"I did, didn't I…"She whispered softly, watching his hands carefully. "You are…a warrior?"

"Huh?" Terra glanced down at his weapon. "Oh, well…no, not really—"

"Then why do you carry that around?"

"Because I have to—"

"But if you aren't a warrior, why would you need it—"

Reality hit him. "Are…you scared?" Terra asked slowly. Her nervous movements were enough for him. Slowly, he let the sword drop. "It's alright; I use this sword to protect my family. It won't ever harm with good reason."

Aqua nodded silently. "I understand…Why did you come back?"

"What do you mean?"

"You came back despite knowing what I am; you must know the tales behind Kitsunes."

"I do, and that's why I came back," Terra insisted, stepping forward with a wide smile. "You saved me. I want to know why."

Aqua flinched, her face flushing at the proximity of their faces. Obviously he didn't know about personal boundaries. "Well I—I—"

He shook his head. "You don't need to tell me right now, I understand—"

"TERRA!"

They froze, Terra wheeling around only to spot Ventus stumbling his way down the brick path. He hissed angrily, glancing back at Aqua nervously. "Ventus…."

"Terra!" Ventus was running unsteadily as fast as his short legs could carry him when the inevitable happened. Too focused on his brother up ahead, his foot snagged on a crack. The situation would have been funnier to watch if it wasn't Ventus escaping from school and he hadn't skinned his knee in the process. Terra groaned, picking up his sword and hurrying over. "_Ventus…"_

Aqua rushed past him, skidding to a stop in front of the crying blond and kneeling down before him. Her tail swished in front of his face, distracting him from his pain while her hand cupped over his knee. Whispering something Terra failed to hear, she smiled as a faint green glow appeared, the cut healed and skin good as new. Ventus smiled up at her, his tear stricken face just for show now. "Terra!" He chirped again, reaching up. Half conscious of his actions as he reached down to pick up his brother, Terra continued to stare at the Kitsune. "You…healed him?"

Aqua turned pink. "W-Was I not supposed to?"

"No, It's just…thank you," Terra breathed, relaxing muscles he hadn't even realized that were tense in the first place. "You didn't need to do that."

"Oh," Aqua averted her eyes momentarily, shuffling nervously. "Alright…"

"Why did you heal him? You didn't have to," Terra pressed quietly, hoping to coax her out of her comfort zone. He didn't expect her to respond so quickly though.

"It's not a matter of didn't have to or had to. It's the same with when you were drowning—" Terra subconsciously reached up to touch the slight bump on his head "—there was nothing to think about. It was just a reaction."

Terra chuckled, softening his gaze on her to the point where she blushed again. "Thank you very much then, it was very kind of you to do that." He murmured a little shyly, shifting Ventus's weight onto his other arm. "Even if Ventus's accident wasn't half as bad as mine, it was very kind of you to do so."

Aqua nodded softly, reaching out to pat Ventus on the head. She smiled and laughed as his comfortable smile turned into a pout and weakly swiped at her hand. "It was nice to meet you Ventus," she whispered before turning back to the bridge. "I have to go, but I'd like to meet you again Terra, considering our meeting was rather short."

"I'd like that."

She chuckled, waving over her shoulder as she walked back towards the cherry tree. Terra took that as his cue to glare down at his little brother. "What are you doing here Ventus?" He growled, ignoring that Ven looked like a sleepy kitten at the moment. Ventus yawned lazily, rubbing a small fist over his eye before answering. "I ran away; Zack wanted to play hide and go seek. I think I'm winning."

"You mean, you left him looking for you at school." Terra stated disapprovingly, his frown deepening. "Ventus…"

"Who was that pretty lady?"

The blood rose to Terra's cheeks in an instant, and he had to compose himself for a moment so his voice wouldn't squeak when he finally did speak. "Pretty lady? You mean Aqua?"

"Aqua," Ventus giggled, leaning back into Terra's chest and snuggling into his arm. "She was really nice."

Terra snickered, spotting Tifa, Zack, and Vanitas coming down the road, waving wildly. Well, everyone except Vanitas was. Van looked like he could care less what was going on. Terra leaned closer to his little brother until his lips were a few inches above his ear. "Ventus, how about this stays a secret between you and me, okay?"

"Why?"

"Because I want it to be a surprise," Terra replied simply.

Ventus yawned. "Okay…Hey Terra?"

"Yes Ventus?"

"Aqua is really pretty. I bet that's why you kept staring at her." Ven mumbled before finally dozing off.

Terra had no explanation for his intense blush by the time Tifa and Zack arrived, which only spurred their insane idea that he was meeting a lover of some sort. He could only hope that his father never got a breath about their misconceptions and crazy imaginations.

* * *

><p><strong>That took much longer than expected to write. Not that it was difficult, I just could not find myself satisfied with the chapter ha! Sorry guys. At least I know my next chapter is what I want it to be. Happy Late Thanksgiving and Early December Days!<strong>

I'm so sorry for all of you guys who are like me, and have to take finals these next two weeks.


	3. A Surprise

**Sorry this took so long guys. Finals are a drag and I still have one tomorrow. My last one. Cue victory fanfare.  
>I plan on sleeping for days after that though, so I figured I should treat you guys with a new chapter.<br>Thanks for reviewing! You guys keep my spirits up!**

* * *

><p>"Terra, where are you going?"<p>

Terra winced, looking back at his younger siblings with regret. Ventus was grasping Sora's hand tightly in his, the brunet yawning tiredly. A pout was forming on Ven's face as he reached out again. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to meet someone important—"

"Buh you said dat we were impotent," complained Sora sleepily, his free hand reaching up and rubbing his eye.

Terra could almost _hear_ his heart tear in two at the scene, especially when Sora mispronounced almost every word. Pushing aside his brotherly feelings though, he managed to lift up his siblings without regret. Heading back towards their rooms, he smiled. "You guys are important, but this is a secret, okay?"

"Secwet?" Sora yawned again, eyelids drooping dangerously as he struggled to stay awake. Ventus frowned. "But you said that last time—"

"And I meant it then too," he whispered, pushing the door open slowly to avoid its creaky moans. Gently, he placed them back into bed. "Dad can't know."

"Is it that really pretty lady?"

Terra had to fight a small blush before he could nod, carefully tucking Sora in; the brunet was already fast asleep. He turned his attention back to Ventus. "It's a secret and surprise okay? Dad can't know."

Ventus sighed, rolling on his side without another work and curling next to his younger brother. The four year old gave no sign of noticing this though, his sleep uninterrupted and deep. "Fine," he muttered, refusing to look up anymore. Terra smiled faintly, ruffling his blond hair and whispering 'good night' before he turned to leave.

"Terra?"

"Yeah champ?"

"Goo'Night."

"Good night Ventus." Terra pulled the door closed, wincing as the click rebounded loudly through the house. He glanced down the hall and listened, making sure no one else was awake. He was disappointed to hear a small 'thump' by the back door. Only one other person would be awake right now, since Roxas slept like the dead when he was sick and his father was out on a trip until tomorrow night. "Vanitas," Terra whispered, stepping over the creaky step with care as he entered the washing room. The wet clothes were still hanging from the rope hung diagonally across the room. There was no reason for him to be up, unless—

"You're going hunting," he whispered, a statement rather than a question. Vanitas nodded quietly, nimbly working the straps and buckles on his boots. Terra frowned. "Father bought you those boots to travel long distances, not so you could go hunting whenever you see fit."

"Father does a lot of things that don't go as he intentioned," Vanitas muttered absently, tightening one of the straps with a vicious tug. "Why are you even talking to me?"

"Because it's past midnight and you're thirteen, leaving with nothing but a bow and quiver on you." Terra frowned, examining his brother with a piercing gaze. "You don't have food, water, and you aren't dressed for the cold; not to mention you're my brother."

"I'm almost fourteen—"

"Almost is the keyword Van—"

"And a year after that, I'll be fifteen and almost a 'man'," he stated firmly, finishing the last strap with a triumphant grin. "You and I both know that there's almost no food left—

"That's why we have farm animals Van—"

"We're selling them and you know it," Vanitas hissed furiously, standing up and glaring at his older brother without fear. The height difference between them was still vast but Terra had to admit he could understand why the older town's boys were nervous around his brother. Vanitas had a certain piercing gaze that could strike fear into a heart without trying. The raven haired boy jabbed a finger into Terra's chest, his stunning golden eyes always glaring straight into Terra's blue eyes. Absently, he mused that out of everyone in the family, Vanitas was (supposedly) the only one who inherited his mother's honey eyes—even if they were much colder than her eyes were rumored to be.

This wasn't the time to be thinking about someone he barely remembered however; standing his ground, Terra straightened himself to appear taller. "So what if we're selling them?"

"We won't be able to slaughter them for food and we're running short on meat anyways. Dad won't be back until tomorrow night and we'll be hungry by then. I'm the best hunter next to Roxas and at least I don't feel guilty when I shoot our next meal," Vanitas snapped, jabbing Terra again. "I'll be back by morning."

"Even if you are back by morning _and _the best next to Roxas," whispered Terra softly, brushing away his brothers hand. "You are still thirteen and I won't send my younger brother to do my work; even if you are a pain sometimes."

"Dumbass."

Terra scowled. "Go back to bed, we'll figure it out tomorrow."

"I'm going whether you like it or not Terra." Vanitas grinned devilishly. "Or should _I_ tell Dad why _you're _sneaking out tonight?"

Terra wasn't quite sure if his face had heated up so quickly it left a rush of cold or it had drained of color instead. "You cheap little ba—"

Vanitas tore away, snatching up his hunting supplies and sack. "Later!" He called back with a sneer, grinning too happily as he ran out of the house. Frustration swelling up, Terra reached up. His fingers slowly massaged his temples, a slight help as he tried to distract himself from his inner sense of impending doom. Sighing however, he grabbed his sword off the wall as well and pulled on a rugged old cloak. There was no point in going to meet Aqua tonight if his brother was so set on _dying_ in the middle of the night. As much as his pride fought it, he would have to find another way to apologize to her tomorrow night; even if sneaking out with Father home was nearly impossible. Without another glance back towards the house, Terra tore after Vanitas.

* * *

><p>"Aqua, where are you going?"<p>

A shiver ran down from Aqua's spine to the tip of her tail. Smiling weakly, she turned to face Yen Sid. "To study the human world again," She answered honestly, her basket creaking a little as her grip tightened around its handles. "I haven't finished studying their behaviors."

"Why are you taking a basket?" He asked sternly.

At that, she truly smiled. "I promised my sisters I would bring them strawberries."

Yen Sin nodded, watching her carefully as she shifted from one leg to another. Aqua cleared her throat awkwardly. "Master?"

"Yes Aqua?"

"May I go now?"

He nodded quietly. Closing his eyes, he turned to face the meadow outside the forest instead. "You must return within the next half hour."

Biting back her shock and protests, Aqua nodded quickly. "As you wish Master."

She hesitated. "Master? May I ask why I must return so soon?"

"You're still young Aqua; you might be the eldest of your family but that does not mean you can go wandering into the human world as often as you please—" Aqua's cheeks flushed "—nor does it mean that you are ready for long trips. I am glad to hear you are so dedicated to your studies but if you must go, then do not go alone. Even if it requires you to take one of your siblings, I would prefer knowing you were not alone than to find out a tragedy occurred right under my nose."

Aqua shuffled nervously, nodding meekly as she tried to avoid giving herself away. "…Master?"

"That is all; you may go now."

She took off, frowning the whole way to the gate. He had almost caught her; she would need to be more careful. Half an hour wasn't nearly long enough to see Terra and gather the strawberries for her sisters. Sighing tragically, she slipped through the door that separated their worlds. Terra would have to see her some other time then, she supposed.

* * *

><p>"<em>Vanitas!" <em>Terra hissed angrily, kicking a rock out of his way. "_Van! Where are you?"_

Hands fisted against his body in frustration, Terra had to admit he was beginning to lose his patience. If his brother didn't show himself in the next ten minutes, he would call off his mission and deem it a lost cause. His father's disapproving face floated into mind though and grudgingly, Terra trudged further into the forest. "Stupid Vanitas," he muttered, voice echoing against the ancient trees. "I don't understand why he can't just _listen_ for once and stop making trouble."

Hesitating, his hand fell on another tree; his thoughts falling back a bit. It had been four years since then, almost five. Chuckling quietly, he shook his head and continued his march. His mother had been the only one who could keep Vanitas in check; they had a unique relationship. Vanitas had been a little more sully since her absence.

"Why can't he just do as he's told," he muttered under his breath, pulling away a branch to pass by. A loud yelp erupted from the darkness, startling the sleeping forest. Terra grimaced, rushing towards the noise. That wasn't an animal's cry; he knew from hunting experience. Sure enough, Vanitas was crouching on the ground, glaring at a small fox with a wild look in his eyes. He growled lowly, grasping his bow in a flash. "God damned fox!"

Terra shouted weakly as his brother released the shot. The fox let out a yelp of pain, falling over. They watched in silence as it twitched a bit and was no more. Terra forced himself to look away from the kit and rushed over to his brother. "Are you okay?" Terra muttered rapidly, skidding onto his knees and reaching out towards Vanitas. "What happened? Are you hurt—"

"Will you shut up Terra?" Vanitas snapped, hands wrapped around his calf. "It's just a bite. I'm not going to die—"

"It could have some sort of disease—"

"I'm not going to die you twit!" Vanitas rolled his eyes, carefully getting to his feet. "It's just a bite. I'll be fine. I have our food anyways." A sack full of rabbits was lying near his feet.

"What happened?" Terra demanded lowly.

Van sighed. "If you _have_ to know, I didn't see it sleeping under the rocks and stepped on its tail." He brushed the dirt off his pants, acting like nothing had happened. "It bit me, so I killed it. End of story."

Terra frowned, his gaze turning back to the dead fox. Its fur was still white from its winter coat. A small puddle of blood under it shimmered under the moonlight and with a sudden pained feeling, Terra turned away from the sight. A shiver of foreboding traveled down his spine. Vanitas scoffed. "I can't understand why you always feel so bad about killing animals. We all have to eat, you know."

Terra nodded absently, pulling his brother onto his back despite his obvious (and loud) complaints towards being treated like a child. It was true, he disliked killing, even if he needed to survive just as much as his meals did. However, this was different. It wasn't just his dislike of killing; this just seemed _wrong. _ He wasn't sure why; his brother had the right to defend himself when necessary. He was glad his brother was okay (even if he was a stuck up arrogant prude sometimes). But the death of the fox seemed so…sad.

Brushing off his tragic thoughts, Terra adjusted his sword, tied the sack of rabbits to his waist and began his journey back home.

* * *

><p><em>I love writing about Terra and Vanitas; they have such a fun brotherly relationship to poke at. Aqua will have more screen time next chapter, I promise!<em>


	4. Visitors

**I haven't had internet for the last day and a half, so this chapter is a little longer than usual for you guys. Enjoy!**

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><p>Aqua tensed, her grip increasing its hold on her sisters hand. Naminé whined softly, glancing up at her sister in worry. "Aqua, stop, you're hurting me." She whispered, her free hand reaching up and tugging at Aqua's sleeve. Aqua nodded absently, pulling her sister up into her arms and continuing down the forest path without another glance behind her. Naminé didn't need to see the dead fox; her world was still so small and fragile. A dead fox, an animal so close to her kind, would only upset her.<p>

Naminé's white ears perked up, turning to look around in all directions. "Where's Kairi?"

Kairi giggled. "Here!" She twirled a small flower in her hand, beaming as its petals danced in her fingers. "Where are we going Aqua?"

Aqua bit her cheek nervously. "To visit…a friend," She answered slowly. "A friend that Master Yen Sid doesn't need to meet yet."

"Oh!" Kairi beamed. "Are we gonna see if they're smart enough to meet Yen Sid?"

"Master Yen Sid," Aqua corrected gently, adjusting Naminé's weight to even out her balance. "And yes, something like that."

"It's a secret?"

"I'd like to call it a surprise," Aqua decided with a smile. "It's a bit more pleasant that way, don't you think?"

Naminé smiled shyly. "I like surprises…"She whispered, her blue eyes wandering off into the distance once more.

Kairi grinned. "Me too!"

Aqua laughed softly, taking the redhead's hand in hers. "Good." She glanced around worriedly. "Where is Xion?"

"She said she wanted to find some strawberries," Naminé whispered in her ear, eyes closing. It was extremely early for them to be awake but it was to be expected; their world didn't quite connect with the human world. The hours were still flipped and what was late for Terra would always be early for Aqua. The same applied for her less experienced (not to mention younger) sisters. Aqua frowned. "She shouldn't be off on her own—"

Kairi tugged at her sleeves. "She says she wants to know if Master is following us."

Aqua felt her heart tug down, instead, focusing on her travels. Xion was the second oldest, roughly two to three human years below Aqua, but that didn't mean it made her liable to run off on her own. She wasn't even at age to enter her last years of study. Aqua glanced down at her other siblings, worried. All of them would eventually have to study something of their choice; spells, curses, cures, lore, spirits, etc. Aqua had chosen humans; very few went her path and she was beginning to understand why. They were untrusting, clumsy, and judgmental. In fact, she realized with a frown, Terra had been the first anomaly she'd met in her few months of studying. He was sweet, kind, and eager to understand more about her. Odd, considering most humans around these areas considered Kitsune's to be a bad omen. Juggling Naminé's weight in her arms, she kept walking forward. She owed Terra an apology for not showing up last night; it was a good thing she probably wouldn't ever forget what he smelled like. His smell was the only thing that floated around for miles on end.

* * *

><p>"Dad's home!"<p>

"Thanks Roxas, we _all_ wanted to know," grumbled Vanitas, shoveling down his serving of rice without pause. Terra gave him an angry look before turning his attention to the door. "Welcome back Father!"

Eraqus smiled tiredly, his cloak hanging from his arms as he sagged into the room. "Thank you boys…I see you started dinner without me."

"They got hungry…" Terra began weakly, embarrassed. Eraqus laughed, hanging the cloak on a small hook by the door. "It's fine Terra, it smells wonderful. However, I may just skip dinner tonight."

"Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine; it has just been a very long journey." The aged lines on his face deepened as he yawned silently, patting both his sons as he walked by. "Don't worry about me; continue your dinner. I will retire to my room."

Terra shot his brother a nasty glare the second Eraqus left the room. "You couldn't have waited until I finished with dinner?" He hissed. "Exactly how much disrespect do you have left for this family?"

Vanitas shrugged, shoveling the last bit of rice down his throat before setting aside the plate. The ceramic bowl clattered loudly against the ancient wood table, Terra wincing as he watched it dance wobbly on the fixture before settling. "That was—"

"—her bowl, I know." Vanitas scoffed, rising to his feet. "I'm not stupid; I know that was her bowl. The one we aren't supposed to use."

"Then why did you pick it?"

"Why should I bother with stupid objects of a woman that I don't even remember?" He snapped, storming out of the room without another word.

Terra fought the urge to grab the bowl and smash straight over his brothers block head. Carefully taking the plate in hand, he gathered up the remaining dirty dishes and headed out back. Placing the dishes next to a stool, he sat down and using an old soapy bristle, began cleaning the dishes. Being the oldest had its perks but it definitely had its problems too. Vanitas was one of them; he refused to listen and by law of the eldest, he had to be the one who helped guide him into place. Huffing as a stray hair fell over his eyes, Terra scrubbed at a particular dirty plate vigorously. "Idiot," he grumbled. "Even if he is a surly teenager, that doesn't give him a right to—"

"…Terra?"

Whatever the noise that escaped his mouth was, he would never admit to being a shrilly five year old scream. No matter what anyone said for the next millennium, he would stand by his "manly scream" and argue it to the death. Even if Aqua's incredibly sensitive ears would probably never forget how much they rang that day. Flinching and instinctively reaching up to shield her ears, she paled. "What?"

He gaped; his face flushing red as he realized what was going on. "A-Aqua!" he sputtered out, scrambling to grab the dish that was threatening to fall out of his hands. "W-What are you doing here-"

"I came to apologize."

"What for?"

She frowned, watching him curiously. Her tail swished in and out of view, careful not to drag on the floor. "I didn't show up last night, don't you remember? I stood you up, so I came to apologize. My…guardian of sorts prevented me from leaving last night."

"Oh—Oh!" Terra laughed, reaching out to pat her on the shoulder. The cold soapy water ran down his arms however, reminding him of what he had been doing and he quickly pulled back. "Don't worry, I had a delay too. My brother decided to go on a midnight excursion for food."

Aqua cocked her head to the side, lips pursing as she thought carefully about his words. "A…midnight excursion?"

"He ran off without permission to go hunting," Terra explained grimly. "I couldn't leave him out there alone so…"

"I understand," Aqua whispered with a smile. "I'm here with my sisters; my guardian doesn't really trust me at the moment."

Terra nodded, faintly reminded of his less that happy father. "I completely understand," He muttered, glancing towards the house. Shaking his head as if to clear it of unhappy thoughts, he smiled. "You have sisters? Where are they?"

"Oh—One of them went to go pick strawberries in the fields, and the other two…I'm not sure. They said they wanted to play, but I can't imagine what they would do here." Aqua chuckled. "Kids have a large imagination though."

"That's true," Terra glanced around. No one was in sight, so maybe they were in the woods? He would worry more but they were Kitsune's, so maybe they didn't need as much protection as a human child would. "How old are they?"

"In human terms? Naminé is around ten, Kairi is 5 and Xion is 14."

Terra fought the urge to question her judgment for leaving them alone. "Did you say in human years? How does that up to Kitsune years?"

Aqua giggled. Terra felt his ears heat up and hoped that for once, his face didn't betray how much he liked to hear her laughter. "Sorry," Aqua chuckled, struggling to container her laughter. "Let's just say that one year in the human world is roughly equivalent to six years in our world. When we reach eighteen human year cycles, are considered old enough to live on our own and should have completed the studies of our choice."

Terra was still stuck on the age difference. "Wait, so you're telling me that your youngest sister is 30 years old? That's crazy!"

"Yes, and I would be ninety-six," she added, struggling to hide her smile. "Don't worry, we only really age until then; our appearance can flux to whatever we want from there on out."

Terra shook his head. "Y-You said you complete some sort of study?"

She nodded proudly, taking a seat on a spare box nearby. Terra set aside the dishes and joined her on the bench he'd been working on. "We begin our studies at my age actually; you may consider it a short time, but to us, it equals to an education of twelve years. We pick something to study on our own and master. Some pick the art of calligraphy, history, lore, dance, culinary, and much more. Everyone, including my mother and sisters, has or had to go through with this. It is tradition."

"What did your mother study?"

Immediately, Aqua flushed, looking at anywhere _but _at Terra. "Um…she was studying humans…but she became more of a…master of seduction…"

An awkward silence over took them. Terra cleared his throat uncomfortably, shifting his weight. "So um…what are you studying?"

"…the human world," Aqua answered shyly, staring intently at her fingernails. "How humans interact and what techniques would be necessary to blend in with them well."

"Really? What made you choose humans?" Terra bit his tongue to avoid adding in 'was it because your mom studied humans?'

"Our world is beginning to die," she answered softly. "Each year, it grows smaller because we cannot cooperate with this world. Most of my kind believes the humans are greedy and cannot learn or hope to change, and many humans believe we are bad omens. It wasn't always true; we used to bring luck to whoever we met and a family who had a shrine for us never lacked any sort of food. I'm not sure what happened, but I know that if we do not find a solution soon, we will very soon, run out of time."

Terra winced, his father's words still in mind. "I…think I understand. Would it be all right if I helped you?"

The change in Aqua's mood was drastic, her tail and ears perking up and eyes brightening with hope. "Do you mean that? Do you really mean that?" She grasped his hands in hers and pulled him into a tight hug. "That would be wonderful; thank you Terra!"

He laughed painfully, her arms wrapped tightly around his torso. For someone as petite as her, she was ridiculously strong; and Terra chopped firewood almost every day. Reaching around to awkwardly pat her back, he smiled. "No problem; just tell me what you want to know and I'll do my best to help out in whatever way I can."

He regretted that almost immediately though, as Aqua took that as a cue to burst into twenty questions. Her words seemed to flow from all over and Terra was having a hard time following. Not to mention, the minute she'd begun her questionnaire, she'd unwrapped herself from Terra's chest, much to his regret.

* * *

><p>Vanitas scowled, reaching up to tug at his rolled up bag. He'd been tossing it up in the air to waste time; however, much to his displeasure, it had snagged on a loose splinter on the banister and now hung too high up for him to reach. Wriggling his fingers up in vain, he muttered a string of curse under his breath, as if the vile words would bring down the bag for him. Frustration finally pending up too much for his patience, he flopped back down into bed, rolling onto his side in defiance.<p>

It was such a stupid bag. Who cared if _she _had sewn it for him when he was a child? It wasn't like it mattered. She was gone and besides, that bag was for a kid, and Vanitas was for sure not a ki—

He sat up, eyes darting from corner to corner of the room. Roxas was the only other person who he shared the room, and he was out making sure Sora and Ventus weren't doing something stupid. Terra was out back washing the dishes and Father was sleeping, so who could it—

"This is yours, right?"

A petite black haired girl met his view from the darkest part of his room; he'd almost missed her from her dark attire and hair. He frowned. "What are you doing in my house," he snapped.

A tail swished in and out of view, ears twitching back from the top of her head. She pursed her lips, holding out the bag. "My sister is here visiting a friend. This bag is yours, right?"

"…are you a Kitsune?"

"Are you deaf?" She mused, frowning.

Vanitas scowled. "No," he snapped, reaching out and snatching the bag from her hands. "And yes, it's my bag, so stop trying to steal it."

"I wasn't trying to steal it," muttered the girl. She watched him intently, her large blue eyes carefully coordinating with his. A moment of silence passed, and she sighed. "You're different," She whispered, leaning closer. "You are human, aren't you? Aren't most humans partial to killing things they don't understand?"

Vanitas snorted. Winding the bags straps around his fingers, he leaned against the wall and continued to act like she wasn't standing in front of him. "I thought Kitsune's were supposed to give bad luck to whoever they met."

"That is a common misconception." She replied unhappily, pouting.

"Well then," he replied smartly, repeatedly wrapping and unwrapping the bag. "What makes you think that what you said isn't a common misconception either?"

"Humans killed my mother when I was young," She said blankly.

He hesitated, bag half unwrapped in his hand. "…My mother…died when I was young too. She was…" He shook his head and glowered. "That doesn't give you a right to judge us."

She nodded, watching his reactions with a small smile now. "No, I suppose you are right. Forgive me."

He huffed, closing his eyes and returning to his meticulous actions. "…I'm Vanitas."

"My name is Xion. It was nice to meet you Vanitas." She leaned in and pressed her lips against his cheek. His eyes snapped open, focusing on her in shock and scrutiny.

"What…was that for?" He asked slowly.

Xion blinked, slowly turning pink. "Is…that not the way humans say good bye now? The books said that was the manner of which one would say good bye."

Vanitas smiled coyly, reaching up and grabbing her by her arm. "No," he muttered, pulling her in closer. "But if that's the way you want to say good bye, at least do it right..."

Terra came back inside close to sundown, arms burdened with multiple dishes and cutlery. Vanitas was waiting for him in the kitchen, frowning. "Dad said I had to help you put away the dishes," He stated flatly, taking half of the plates and beginning to sort them away. Terra frowned.

"But you never do what Dad says," he began, confused. "What changed now? Are you in trouble?"

"I met a Kitsune girl. She was probably your friends younger sister."

A loud crack filled the room as a ceramic plate hit the ground, cracking all over the floor. Terra failed to notice this however, as all his attention was focused on his brother. "B-B-But how did you—"

Vanitas snorted. "You're too obvious Terra. I'm surprised Dad hasn't figured it out yet."

Terra huffed, grudgingly leaning down to pick up the broken plate.

"Oh and Terra?"

"Yea?"

"If that friend over yours is anything like the Kitsune I met, she's probably a really good kisser."

Terra would probably spend the next day in the market shopping for new plates.

* * *

><p><strong>Vanitas is a player in my mind, apparently...<strong>


	5. Shopping Day

_A longer chapter as a Holiday and End of the Year gift from me to you._

* * *

><p>"Terra? What…are you doing?"<p>

Jumping in his chair, Terra whipped around. Eraqus stood over him, Roxas at his side with a frown. Sheepishly, Terra placed the shattered bowl pieces on the work bench. Roxas reached down and took the brush from his older brother, scowling. "Isn't this my paintbrush?"

"Terra, what were you doing?"

Clearing his throat awkwardly, Terra looked up at his father shyly. "I was…trying to fix the bowls?" He answered quietly. "With glue and a new coat of paint?"

Roxas grimaced, holding the brush out at arm's length. "Oh no…Please tell me that you at least made the glue from starch and didn't use the animal glue. Please."

He shuffled uncomfortably. "Maybe? In my defense it was the only glue we had."

Roxas gagged, tossing the brush back onto the bench. "Terra! That was my good paintbrush!"

"How should I know? I'm not the artist in the house—"

"It obviously doesn't have old bristles and paint on it—"

"Enough," Eraqus interrupted sternly. His sons flinched, shrinking under their father's stern gaze. "I don't want to know why so many dishes are broken or why you took Roxas's brush without asking, but I want you to replace them today."

Terra shrunk visibly. "Everything?"

"Everything," Eraqus confirmed seriously. "Today."

"B-but Vanitas—"

"Vanitas is completing his chores and yours, which you have been neglecting since yesterday," his father cut him off, clearly displeased. "Be it his fault or not, you have done nothing for the last two days."

Terra huffed, nodding curtly and getting to his feet. "Fine. I'll go to the market and get new plates—"

"No."

He wheeled around, shocked. "No?"

Eraqus smiled. "You'll take Roxas with you to town and buy him a new brush. Then, you will go and purchase supplies to _make_ more plates for our family, which you will work on for the next few days."

Terra gaped. "But why do I—that's not fair Dad—"

"That's for not telling me that the dishes broke and trying to fix them behind my back," Eraqus smiled faintly. "I would have thought you'd know better by now Terra. Oh and before I forget, Roxas gets to pick his brush—it'll come out of your pocket money."

Roxas smiled up at his brother angelically. "So when are we going?"

* * *

><p>Terra leaned against the shop door, watching and rolling his eyes as Roxas leaned over the hundreds of brushes in front of him in awe. "Roxas, <em>please<em> hurry up. We have more shopping to do."

"Whose fault is that?" Roxas snapped over his shoulder. Olette giggled from behind the table. Pulling out a small leather bound parcel, she held it out towards her friend. "Here, these are new and really cheap. Six brushes for the price of one."

She winked towards Terra when Roxas wasn't looking; his attention was focused on examining the brushes. Terra snorted quietly, covering his mouth to try to muffle his laughter. Olette was the daughter of the town's carpenter. She was good friends with Roxas and with two other boys but both of the boys were the sons of tradesmen and hardly ever stayed in town for long. Terra liked her; she was mature for her age and wasn't a bad influence on his younger brother. That and she obviously knew more than she let on.

"Did you make them?" Roxas asked softly, engrossed with his paintbrush set. "Or did they bring it in on their last visit?"

"They brought me the materials," Olette whispered, smiling. "It was a gift from friends to friends and now to another friend. Go ahead; take it. We had you in mind when we got them, I'll have you know."

"Olette…"

"Roxas don't be ridiculous. Take them."

Roxas sighed, his grip tightening on the brushes momentarily before slipping them back into their pouch and smiling up at Olette sincerely. "Thanks Olette."

She chucked. "You're welcome; have a good day."

Roxas nodded; his grip on the parcel tight as he headed for the door. Terra gave him a smug look as he passed by, waving at Olette as they left. That girl was _definitely_ one of his favorite people right now. Roxas cleared his throat, blinking his slightly watering eyes before looking up at Terra. "Where to now?" He asked quietly, his blue eyes shining noticeably. Terra smiled.

"To the blacksmith for Father's sword and the Potter's shop; we still need clay."

"I can buy the clay; you're hopeless when it comes to art things." Roxas muttered under his breath, sniffling quietly. "I'll meet you at the blacksmith; Axel isn't done with it anyways."

Terra had barely finished agreeing before Roxas marched off, head low and brushes gripped in hand. He smiled weakly, heading for the blacksmith silently. Hayner and Pence had been gone for a while and Roxas had missed their last visit due to being sick. They wouldn't return for another six months; Roxas had reason to be upset and touched by their gift. Olette would be leaving soon too, to learn her trade with her grandparents for the year as well. It was an awful age to be almost alone, Terra mused, pulling the grass curtain away as he entered the blacksmiths home. Roxas was so insecure right now too.

Axel peered up from his spot on the ground, frowning. "Don't you knock?" he grumbled, sitting up and stretching his lanky limbs at once. Terra smiled grimly.

"I would if you had ever bothered to replace that door you burned down last month." He answered smoothly, setting down his knapsack and sliding down against the wall. "I heard my father's sword isn't done yet?"

"No, not yet, but it should be, give or take a few bangs and burns." Axel yawned, taking a piece of wood in hand and eyeing it carefully. Shrugging, he picked up a knife and began to hack at it again. "If you knew I wasn't done yet, why did you come by?"

"Roxas wanted to be alone and I didn't have anyone else to bother. Zack is with Aerith planting flowers and Tifa is helping Cloud at the town bar again."

Axel nodded quietly, examining his work before resuming the task once more. "I had a visitor here; she says she knows you. That it's safe to tell you."

"Tell me what?"

"You really should stay out of other world matters Terra; it's not good for any sort of business." Axel sang softly, his green eyes peering up momentarily to watch his reactions. "Especially regarding Kitsune."

Terra froze. "W-What—"

"Aqua sends her regards," Axel muttered. "She wants to see you sometime soon, and will send one of her sisters when a time becomes available."

"How do you know—"

"You're so dimwitted Terra," Axel continued with a frown. His eyes narrowed in a cat like manner. "Don't you use your brain?"

Terra gaped, mouth moving silently in shock. "Y-You're one of them?"

Axel laughed harshly. "Half of one is more like it."

"_Are you serious?"_

"No, I'm Axel." He replied flatly before breaking out into a grin. "Of course I am."

"What do you mean 'half of one'—"

"Would you shut up for a moment so I can explain?"

His mouth immediately clamped shut, gaze entranced on the red head. Axel chuckled. "I am a half breed; half human, half Kitsune."

"Doesn't that mean you should be in their world? What are you doing here?"

"Well, here's the thing. If you are half breed, you have the appearance of a human but still have some Kitsune 'magic'."

"Magic?"

Axel frowned. "You ask too many questions Terra." He grumbled, whittling away furiously. The block was beginning to take a shape. "Kitsune magic. Even you should know they have 'abilities'."

"But what are those abilities?" Terra insisted, clearly frustrated. "Put that down and answer me!"

"Oh trust me, you'll want this when I'm done," Axel murmured, ignoring his friends blank stare. "Abilities; magic. They are the same. I can't explain what they are because it's just natural. Just like breathing; Aqua could probably explain it better since she has better control on this sort of stuff. A half breed like me could just sneeze and burn a whole house down by accident. It's like breathing and speaking; the magic is inherent but we do need to train to use it. I won't pretend to understand it myself."

"Oh," Terra shifted uncomfortably. "Do you live there? In their world, I mean."

"I still have the ability to return to our world, but it doesn't mean I'm welcome there either."

"Why's that?"

Axel shrugged. "Half breeds are like bastard children. Neither side of the family wants to take the blame, not to mention it's looked down upon in their society. Mom is human, and it wasn't her fault. Later on, she had my younger brothers too and they had more human in them than Kitsune. Under normal circumstances, I would have been taken into the other world but I couldn't just leave her here all alone so I stayed. Yen Sid likes me enough though, so I'm welcome back pretty often. Too bad he hates my dad; whoever he is…"

Terra shivered involuntarily. "So…you don't have a tail?"

Axel laughed heartily. "No, and boy am I glad I don't. I've pissed off their lot so much they would have banished me by now. It's a good thing they can't banish me either."

"Why is that?"

"They chop off your tails and leave you in the human world until you either die or become human." Axel answered simply, turning the wood on its side to continue his work. Terra winced. "If you are strong enough to endure three days with no tail, you become human. Most aren't so lucky though; the shock gets to them I reckon. I wish Yen Sid would just forget that punishment all together; we get stuck trying to raise them human afterword..."

Terra frowned at the name in passing. "Who's Yen Sid?" He asked, nonplussed.

Axel whistled, amused. "Oh, so she hasn't told you?" He teased, eyes shining with glee. "Yen Sid is _the_ Kitsune. He is and has been their leader for _centuries_. He is the _only_ living multi-tailed Kitsune left. Nothing happens without his stamp of approval, let alone under his nose. Aqua's walking a thin line by talking with you and not asking him first, or telling him about you."

"But why wouldn't she—"

"Tell you?" Axel shrugged. "She probably thought you would be in danger if she told you. The old man is nice enough but he's got a mean temper and hardly ever changes his mind once it's made up. If he disapproves of you and she kept meeting you, Aqua would be in some deep trouble."

"Could she get banished?"

"She could get put to immediate death is more like it," Axel whispered lowly, setting aside his carved figure. "This isn't a game Terra, and while Aqua asked me to tell you hello, I wanted to talk to you anyways. She is the _only_ one out of their whole world who I like. She is a good a person and if I find out you let it slip you've been seeing a Kitsune around these parts, I will hunt you down and leave you for the bears, am I clear?"

Eyeing the blade pointed straight at his jugular, Terra nodded quietly. "I'm not stupid."

Axel snorted with laughter. "Didn't say you were; your brothers are something else though." He shook his head, red hair rippling in waves down his neck and flipping off stray pieces of wood in its locks. "Either way, don't be an idiot Terra. I won't be here to keep the peace if they start coming for your blood. The only reason you'll see me at your doorstep is if I hear that Aqua's tails got chopped off and I'll come slice your neck at night if that ever happens."

"My brothers aren't stupid!"

"…Honestly Terra, is that all you got from that? Sheesh, I don't run on coal you know," he muttered, watching as the makeshift grass door brushed open. Roxas peered inside, eyes narrowing as he took in the scene. "Axel, why are you pointing that at Terra?"

"Thought he needed something to help him look a little sharp," drawled the redhead, twisting his weight to the right and reaching for a pair of tongs. Pulling out the long sword from the fiery pit, he dragged it over towards his workstation and started on his task. "Besides, he looks a little dull. I figured a little sharpening on the stone would do him good, keep him on his toes."

Terra scowled, rolling his eyes and focusing his attention on his open toed sandals. Getting some boots like Vanitas's didn't seem like such a bad idea anymore he mused, eyeing the multiple sores and blisters with distaste. "Hey Roxas, do you think Father would be upset if I bought myself some boots while we're out?"

Roxas ignored him, stepping over his outstretched legs and homing in towards Axel. The young blacksmith frowned, examining his work wordlessly. Narrowing his expert eyes at a particular spot on the blade, he shook his head in annoyance. Placing the sword back onto its leather blanket, he set about to wrapping it tightly. Clearing his throat, Roxas spoke up. "Axel?"

"Hm?"

"I was wondering…" He shifted awkwardly, his oversized clothes brushing and ruffling loudly under his movements. "I mean, I-I got some new brushes a-and I was wondering if you were busy later so we could go—"

"I don't do company Roxas; when I said I didn't want you there, I meant I didn't want you there."

Roxas shrunk, crestfallen. "Oh," He whispered, grip loosening visibly on his brushes. "Alright…I was just…curious—"

Glancing momentarily over his shoulder, Axel smiled softly and sighed. Holding out the sword towards Terra, he reached over and ruffled the blonde's hair with his free hand. "Meet me at the hilltop tomorrow afternoon. You suck at painting landscape."

Roxas stared, Axel's hand outstretched with a small bag filled with crushed powders and paints. Flushing pink, he snatched up the bag and stormed out muttering things about how rude and arrogant Axel was. Terra frowned, taking the sword in hand. "You're such a jerk Axel. Do you want him around or not?"

Axel laughed. "I want him around; I just don't want him around all the time. He's got other friends around his age, he can be with them."

"They're travelers—"

"Whatever—I had a message from her. She said that one of your brothers is forbidden from going anywhere near her sisters and that she will meet you in the fields outside of town tomorrow."

"Vanitas is a prick and I didn't let him go near them, it just happened!"

"Same difference," Axel muttered, carefully reaching over to pick up his figurine. A small wooden fox sat in the palm of his hand. Its figure was perfectly carved, Terra noticed silently, and it even had detailed fur. Its eyes were carved much deeper in the wood, the color darker and textured differently than its fur. If Terra hadn't seen Axel make it, he would have assumed it was real at first glance, despite its tiny size. Axel smiled knowingly before blowing on the wood. Terra froze as a smoky version of the fox arose and yawned before fading away. Axel raised his vibrant green eyes towards Terra's frightened gaze.

"It's yours," He whispered, holding it out. "I don't have much else I can give you, but it's the only way you can contact Aqua under Yen Sid's nose. Just whisper what you want it to do in its ear and it will listen."

Terra nodded, swallowing nervously as he reached out for it. Axel grasped his wrist before he managed to take it though; smiling devilishly up at him. "Don't let your brother kill anymore foxes Terra; I was there when it happened. You should be grateful no one else was around and that it was Aqua who found it."

Jaw clamped and teeth grinding slightly, Terra nodded curtly, grasping the wooden fox tightly in his palm. "Can I ask you something?"

"You can but that doesn't mean I'll answer, does it?"

"If you're a half breed, does that mean you have to study something too?"

"If I didn't, my abilities would have nothing to focus on and would probably burst when they had the chance."

"And…what do you study?"

Axel smirked, hand reaching in to the fire. "Isn't that obvious?" He asked smoothly, ignoring Terra's outcry and pulling back as if it were the most normal behavior. Flames snaked around his arm and back into the pit. "Spirits and magic."

* * *

><p>Axel is my favorite character next to Zack, and I swear I have good intentions with him!<p> 


	6. Field Date

All of the explaining in the last chapter that you guys read is rewarded with today's chapter.

Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Aqua sighed quietly, glancing towards her sisters momentarily. Xion laid next to her, twiddling a small forget-me-not between her fingers, Naminé fast asleep beside them. Her silver tipped ears flickered and she twitched before relaxing again. Aqua giggled, trying her best to contain her laughter. It was a shame Xion was still awake; she liked to talk in her sleep.<p>

The breeze drew up suddenly, wisps of smoke dancing through the wind. Aqua sat up, ears perking with interest. Closing her eyes, she listened to the spirit fox deliver its message before breaking out a wide smile. "Xion," she began slowly. "Terra's brothers, including Vanitas, are coming along."

Xion's tail fluffed up instantly, her face flushing and the words produced from her mouth completely unintelligible. Aqua burst out laughing. "I wouldn't let him near you, you know that—"She chuckled at Xion's infuriated expression "But if you won't mind, you can go visit one of Terra's younger brothers. Terra's worried about sending him off on his own. They'll be on the Sunset Hilltop, if you want to go."

"That shouldn't be a question," Xion huffed, flustered. "I _hate_ him!"

"Hate is a strong word Xion," Aqua chastised softly, calmly taking the forget-me-not from her sister. She calmly set in a small charm that would prevent humans from seeing their Kitsune features. "Trust me; from what I can infer from Terra's stories, Roxas is a much better friend than Vanitas."

"_Anyone _is better than him," she huffed, getting to her feet and brushing off the grass and dirt off her soft silk clothes. "And I _won't_ wait around for him to show up."

"You won't have to; he's coming up the hill right now, I can see him," teased Aqua, giggling as Xion stormed off and disappeared into the nearby woods. Her expression completely changed once Xion was completely gone however, flashing into something somewhat resembling a storm brewing over seas; dangerous and without restraint. Vanitas and Terra seemed to catch it from far away though, and while Terra visibly paled, Vanitas didn't seem the least bit bothered. He grinned devilishly and waved.

"Wow, good looks really do run through the family," He sang.

Aqua snapped, rising to her feet. "Don't you dare patronize me, I know what you did!" She hissed, charging over and towering over him. "How dare you trick her—"

"To tell the truth, she started it—"

"You didn't even tell her the truth—"

"Hey, I don't know everything in the world."

"You took advantage of her—"

"Sorry to break the news to you but she seemed pretty eager to please herself—"

A loud smack echoed through the field, followed by silence. Terra gaped, almost dropping Sora in his shock. Riku, Sora's older friend, kept looking back and forth from Aqua to Vanitas. Aqua's clenched fist trembled, her jaw clenched and eyes narrowly locked in on the youth. Vanitas was cupping his cheek, a glum sour look spread across his face. "If you _ever_ do something like that again, I'll beat the living daylights out of you." She growled, releasing her fist and taking a deep breath. Naminé was awake now, looking from the differing families, confused. "Aqua? What's going on?"

"Nothing," Aqua answered sweetly, her previous demeanor completely gone. A bright smile graced her features and she looked at Vanitas in a sincere manner. "Terra and I were just agreeing that it would be good if his brothers and you went to go look for Kairi. She might be at the stream nearby; wouldn't that be fun?"

Naminé nodded shyly, biting her lip. Aqua reached down, helping her to her feet.

"I-I can take them."

Terra wheeled around to face Vanitas in shock. The surly teen refused to look at Aqua (or anyone for that matter) directly, but his eyes would flit and linger on her shadow before turning away. He was blushing slightly, angry but embarrassed. He walked over confidently, hand open before Naminé's face. Scowling when she didn't react, he grabbed her by the hand gently and motioned for Riku wordlessly. Riku grinned, grabbing Sora's hand and forcing him into a quick toddler sprint the minute his feet reached the ground. "Bye Terra, we'll be back later!" shouted the seven year old, rushing to catch up with Vanitas.

Aqua glanced at the gang of children, watching them leave. "Do you think it's alright for him to—"

"Don't worry; he's most likely got a crush on you now. He won't do anything bad anymore."

Aqua flushed, looking up at Terra in horror. "W-What?"

He burst out laughing. "I really never thought anyone would do that; least of all you! That was amazing!"

The reality of the situation finally hit Aqua and with a groan, she buried her face into her hands. "Oh no! No! That was horrible Terra, I'm so sorry—I just hit your brother—How could I do such a thing—I am so sorry—"

"No, it's alright, he deserved it."

"No he didn't—I completely overreacted! I am so sorry—"

"Aqua—"

"I should just go home—"

"_Aqua."_ Terra forced her palms away from her face, grinning from ear to ear. "Relax. It's fine. If anything, you might have cured him from his terrible attitude."

"I hate to say it Terra but I don't think anything will ever get rid of his attitude," Aqua muttered surly, the words slipping out of her mouth before she knew it. Groaning, she buried her face into his hands instead. "Oh no—you didn't hear that."

Terra laughed. "You really don't like it when anyone picks on your family, do you?"

Aqua puffed up in outrage, her face flushing pink and encouraging Terra to laugh again. "Don't laugh!" She huffed, embarrassed. "It's not funny!"

"I know, but you're reaction—"Terra choked back another bout of laughter. "I'm sorry. I think I understand how you feel."

"I despise anyone who picks on my sisters; they are my only family. I can't have anyone ordering them around like they're servants! I must protect them!"

"I know, I know," Terra chided, pulling his hands away and peering at her flushed face. "Are you going to be alright?"

Pouting, she rolled her eyes and plopped back down on the grass. "Yes," She scoffed, clearly flustered. "I'm fine!"

"Are you sure? Because I can always call Van back so you can punch him again—"

"Terra, that's not funny."

"It is to me," he said, amused. "But I understand, I'll stop teasing you; I have to say though, you must have a really mean right hook."

Aqua glared at him weakly for a moment, but Terra's expression got the best of her and she started to laugh. "I've been told that before," She admitted. "But I didn't want to believe it. I just can't stand it when someone picks on my sisters, especially Xion. Xion is the kind of girl who will put up with something silently to not trouble anyone; I'm lucky she bothered to ask me about it."

"I'm really sorry about that; none of the villagers let their daughters near him and he likes to pick fights with the boys, no matter how old they are." Terra apologized weakly, taking a seat beside her. "He's not a completely bad person though; usually he only picks fights if the boys were bothering Roxas or Ventus. Sora doesn't get out much since he's too young to go to school."

Aqua stared at him, a small smile gracing her features. Suddenly self-conscious, Terra shifted uncomfortably in his seat, clearing his throat. "W-What?"

"Oh—nothing. I was just thinking that you must really love your brothers, even Vanitas, to talk about him like that."

"He deserves worse," Terra muttered grumpily, pulling blades of grass free from the earth and releasing them into the wind. He shook his head. "Anyways, you said you had wanted to see me; was there more that you wanted to know about the human world?"

Aqua's blush steadily returned. "Oh…well, no…I…I just really wanted to see you. I enjoy your company after all, so I thought you wouldn't mind…"

"Oh, I see…"Terra turned his gaze to the ground, determined not to turn red, even if he could feel his ear heat up. "I agree; I enjoy your company too."

"Thank you."

An awkward silence overtook them for a moment; the only noise that interrupted occasionally was the rustling blades of tall grass. Terra was the first to speak up. "So…who was the other person who said you had a mean right hook?"

Aqua snickered, relaxing. "Axel."

"Why…does that not surprise me?"

"It's nothing like what you're probably imagining," Aqua insisted, fighting back her giggles. "I was supposed to take Xion with me for food once and Yen Sid was too busy to watch over Naminé and Kairi, so he recommended Axel instead. When I came back though, he had put dipped them in red paint of some sort and put them in a pot while they were asleep."

Terra burst out laughing, tears pooling at the corners of his eyes as he doubled over clutching his stomach. Aqua grimaced at the memory. "He'd even tossed in a bit of water and vegetables to make it look authentic. I don't think Kairi remembers but Naminé definitely does. I knocked him out in one punch and shoved him out the door. That was the first time I had ever met Axel."

"That sounds like a really accurate description of him," Terra managed to choke out, tears of laughter streaming down his face. Aqua shoved him lightly, smiling.

"Stop laughing Terra; it's not polite."

"Alright, Alright, Can I ask a different question then?"

"Please do; I'd rather not remember Axel right now."

"How do you turn human?" Terra looked towards her from the corner of his eye. "I figure that you are old enough to handle a transformation by yourself, but what about your sisters? They're young."

"How do you know so much about us?"

Terra shrugged, smiling faintly as he passed her a small wildflower. "My Father told me a few stories about Kitsune when I was younger. He said that you had the ability of appearing human but most preferred the form of a fox."

Aqua twirled the flower silently, deep in thought. "We can control this ability when we begin our studies," she began slowly. "Xion is the only other one in my family who can change freely, but I am the one who creates the illusion on Naminé and Kairi."

"Can you really do that?"

"Yes," she replied quietly. "Many of my kind aren't happy that I do so; they say it's a waste of my ability. That I should focus my gift of charms and magic another way, but I don't mind. I like my studies."

Terra smiled, taking the flower from her hand and slipping it behind her ear. "I'm glad you chose to study the human world; I wouldn't have met you if you hadn't."

She murmured a thank you, grabbing his hand pulling him to his feet. "Come on; I feel nervous leaving Kairi alone with the boys."

"Riku can handle Vanitas, don't worry—"

"I meant Kairi," Aqua insisted, chuckling. "She's an endless amount of energy."

"I doubt she's worse than Sora."

"If she is, I feel bad for Sora's friend." Terra laughed, following her lead into the forest. "Now come on Terra, I really don't want to leave them alone."

"They'll be fine—"

"If you want to convince me Terra, at least _sound_ like you believe it yourself." She brushed a few branches out of their face as she continued her march into the woods. Terra couldn't help but notice that she hadn't let go of his hand. He wasn't sure if though, if it was because she didn't want to or she was afraid he would get lost. Gently tightening his own grip over hers, he relaxed, letting her lead the way without complaint. As long as it was with Aqua, he mused happily, it didn't matter.

Obviously, the rest of the world didn't agree with him.

A loud scream interrupted their venture and Sora came tearing through the trees behind them as fast as his little legs would carry him. Arms up and carrying a small toy sword, Terra and Aqua quickly let go of each other to avoid clotheslining the toddler. Riku was hot on his trail, clearly annoyed. "Sora! Sora, you're cheating!"

Aqua gasped in surprise as Kairi ran behind them, laughing and cheering as tried to balance her flower crowns in hand. "Sora! Riku! Wait for me!"

Terra laughed. "See? I told you they would be alright!"

Aqua ignored him. "Kairi! Where's Naminé?"

Riku collapsed at their feet, panting heavily. "She's with Vanitas," He gasped out, glaring at Sora who was dancing a few feet away from them. "At the river."

Aqua visibly tensed, changing route without a word, leaving Terra to hurry after her. "Aqua, calm down. I'm sure she's fine—"

"I'm still going to check on her—"

"Aqua, you're overreacting; see?" Terra jogged ahead of her and pointed through the tree branches. Vanitas stood at the shore, frowning as Naminé tossed another rock into the calm flow of the river. Shaking his head, he said something to her that neither of the older siblings could catch and picked up his own stone. Aiming carefully, he flicked his wrist and sent the rock skipping over the water's surface. Naminé smiled, taking her extra rock and tossing it into the river.

Terra laughed at his brothers souring expression; Vanitas never had the best patience when it came to teaching things. He was surprised he'd lasted this long. Turning to face Aqua, he smiled. "See? Nothing to worry about."

Aqua watched the scene silently. "There isn't anyone in your family who isn't kindhearted somewhere within, is there Terra?"

Terra felt the blood reach his cheeks again as Aqua took his hand within hers and smiled gratefully. "I'm glad you brought your siblings. I get to spend more time with you." She began softly. "You are a good friend. I couldn't ask for more."

"N-No problem…" He looked away awkwardly. "A-Anyways, before I forget, do you think you could come by again later tomorrow? I want you to meet my friends."

"Your friends?" Aqua frowned, confused. "Why?"

Terra felt heart rate quickening uncomfortably as he realized that his answer could sound a bit stupid. "Well, you're my friend a-and I think they would like you, even if you are a Kitsune—Not that it's a bad thing! I'm sure they wouldn't mind what you are as long as you're just you but I know you have to keep it a secret," Terra babbled uncontrollably, beginning to panic. Aqua giggled, balancing on her toes and kissing him on the cheek. Terra's jaw snapped shut, his face several degrees warmer than it had been before.

"You are very sweet Terra."

Terra felt a shiver run up his spine, several thoughts merging into one and opening his mouth to speak when Vanitas's cry of outrage tore his thought apart, never to be heard or thought of again.

"You hypocrite! How can you accuse me of dirty tricks when you use worse tricks yourself?"

"I did nothing like you did! How dare you insinuate that I did anything as vile and cruel as you did!"

"So you _do_ like him!"

Aqua flushed, her voice raising an octave, mortified. "_I-I didn't say that—"_

"_Terra and Aqua, sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G—"_

Terra groaned. He was never going to get a moments peace from now on.

* * *

><p>If you guys can't tell, I really do like writing Vanitas's character here, as well as poking fun at Terra.<p>

Axel is my second favorite to write about.  
>Thanks for the reviews; if I haven't gotten back to you it's because college is a life drainer with 8am classes.<p> 


	7. Blue Eyed Beauty

**Blue Eyed Beauty**

**This took far too long to write.  
><strong>

**Sorry for the delay.  
><strong>

* * *

><p>"Terra, did you ever wish we hadn't moved away?"<p>

Terra almost dropped Ventus in shock. Blissfully ignorant to the serious question the toddler giggled, completely under the impression his older brother was playing a new game. Laughing weakly as he set Ventus down, Terra avoided his father's gaze, trying to gather his thoughts. "A-Are you serious?"

"It's just a thought," Eraqus began slowly, leaning against the main doorway as he began brushing off the fresh dirt that coated his hands with a wet rag. The rickety old sliding door creaked under his weight, the worn wood groaning. It would have to be replaced soon; it was lucky to have lasted this long considering it had been handmade. Most homes this far out of town didn't even have the luxury of a door at all, let alone a working sliding door.

Eraqus cleared his throat. "It's a passing thought," he repeated gently, a small frown crossing his features and tugging down his few wrinkles. "But sometimes I cannot help but wonder if it would have been easier on you boys if we hadn't moved at all."

"Back there?" Terra asked skeptically, ignoring Ventus's insisting tug at his sleeve. "By the ocean."

"…yes…"

"Where mom died," Terra added blankly.

The tension between them could be felt in the air, and aside from Ventus muttering "Terra" every few seconds, neither of them spoke. Terra sighed, nudging Ventus with the sole of his foot, sending the toddler toppling over in a fit of giggles. "You didn't mention this to Van, did you?"

"Vanitas?" Eraqus chuckled, dropping his dirty rag by the doorstep and entering the house. Stepping over his younger son, he took a seat next to his son, letting out a long whoosh of withheld air. "I did, actually; this morning."

Terra grimaced. "How did that go?"

"Oh you can imagine," Eraqus smiled, tickling the blonde's bare toes while Terra poked him lightly in the belly. "He called me an awful father and stormed out of the house. I don't think he went too far however."

"You let him leave by himself?"

"He's old enough to take care of himself—or at least, I know he's left enough times at night to know he can fend for himself," Eraqus interrupted, smiling faintly as Ventus wriggled away enough to bury his face in the crook of Terra's knee. "I recall you saying that you were going to meet your friends today?"

"Yes—"

"Are you telling the truth?"

Terra flinched. "Of course Father—"

"Are you sure?"

"Father…"

Eraqus sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat. Watching him out of the corner of his eye, it suddenly occurred to Terra that his father was not as young as he used to be. Sure, when he went out, the women of the town would flatter him, flutter around him and comment on how _young _he looked and how _tragic _it must be to raise four boys on his own. Looking at his father's faint worry lines and tired eyes however, Terra was suddenly alarmed at how tired the old warrior appeared. His father remained silent.

"Father? Father?" Terra reached over, shaking his father roughly. "Dad!"

"You are going to see a girl."

Terra froze, his cheeks heating up instantaneously, throat clenching to the point where no words would come out. Eraqus smiled weakly. "In other words," he began quietly. "You are going to meet that Kitsune again."

"I-I—What—"

"Don't bother lying Terra, your brother told me."

"_Vanitas—"_

"Oh please Terra," Eraqus snapped suddenly. "Vanitas is not as cruel as you make him out to be. Do not be so quick to put the blame on him. Ventus told me."

Terra snuck a glance at his younger brother. Ventus smiled up at him innocently before hiding his face again. Oh that little sneak.

"I'm not angry Terra—and he didn't mean to tell me. He was playing by himself while you were gone the other day and accidently let it slip. I'm disappointed you didn't mention this to me yourself."

Terra remained silent, eyes to the ground. His mouth felt particularly dry. "I-I…"

"I hear she is very pretty, isn't that right Ventus?"

"Yeah!"

"Dad…I don't know what to say…"

"It depends," Eraqus began; his smile teasing and eyes shining with silent laughter. "Are you still planning on going? Or are you going to stay home instead and make the young lady wait?"

Terra flushed, fumbling for words. "I-I—"

"Go ahead, I don't mind."

"But aren't you angry—"

"I'm upset and disappointed that I had to find out in this manner," Eraqus began slowly, grabbing Ventus by the ankles and hoisting him up into his arms. Ventus squealed in complaint, scrambling to grab onto Terra in vain. "But I suppose it was going to happen anyways. Go on; it's rude to keep a lady waiting."

Terra didn't have to be told twice, scrambling to his feet and out the door. Ventus frowned, tugging at his father's ponytail in complaint, motioning to be put down.

"Dad." Roxas knocked on the wooden door frame, arms crossed over his chest. "Are you ever going to tell him the truth? That he talks in his sleep sometimes and all the floorboards creak under his weight at night?"

Eraqus smiled, laughing. "It's much more fun this way, don't you think?"

* * *

><p>"Terra!"<p>

Terra jumped, yelping as Tifa smacked him on the arm. "What was that for?"

"I've been calling your name for the last ten minutes!" She exclaimed, rich brown eyes narrowing at him in annoyance. "What is with you today Terra, you looked so excited when you told us we were going to meet her today; now you won't stop going into your own personal bubble!"

"O-Oh…Nothing," He muttered, dragging his gaze back to Aqua. She sat next to Zack, laughing while he flailed about, red faced. No doubt he'd told her one of his stories and was embarrassed by her instead. "Just thinking…"

"About Aqua," Tifa began slowly, glancing at Zack from the corner of her eye.

"Uh-huh."

"And about Zack…"

"Uh-huh…"

"You know, Zack was planning on proposing to Aerith this summer. Not that I'm trying to imply anything, but at this rate, you might actually beat him in that territory."

"Uh-huh—_Wait, what?"_

Tifa burst out laughing, catching Aqua and Zack's attention momentarily before Zack resumed his story telling, Aqua continuing her assortment of flower crowns. Leaning in, Tifa chuckled. "You're such an open book Terra. I'm surprised you haven't stolen her away already."

"I-"

"So how long have you been going out with her? And where is she from anyways?"

Terra was pretty sure his face wasn't supposed to feel that warm. "She lives past the forest and we aren't going out!" He exclaimed hurriedly in a hushed tone. Tifa blinked.

"What?" She visibly drooped, looking back at Aqua for a minute. "Are you serious? You two are totally head over heels for each other too…"

"What…"

"Only you would completely miss that Terra," muttered Tifa, frowning. Well no. Maybe Zack too; the boys she was friends with were pretty clueless in general. She pitied Aerith; who knows how long Zack had been set out for her, only to linger in the shadows because he was too thick headed to see that she liked him too. "Just ask her. Why don't you invite her to the town's celebration; you know, the one we're holding for Leon's wedding? The merchants will be back in town too. It could be like a date!"

Terra shifted awkwardly on the grass, tearing a few blades out periodically in his discomfort. "I'm not sure about this Tifa…I think it's a good idea—"

"Nonsense! You like her, right?"

He hesitated, words caught in a net hanging in his throat. Zack cried out triumphantly, flailing wildly as he pulled Aqua to her feet and dragged her over to his two friends. "Terra! Terra, listen! Aqua says she knows how to fight!"

Terra pulled out of his previous thought. "You do?"

Aqua shifted on the spot, looking from one person to the other nervously. "Is…that a bad thing?"

"No, but you just signed your initiation test for the group," Tifa said tragically, smiling weakly. "We can all fight. My father was the best combat teacher in our village, until I took over his post when he died. He taught Zack, and Terra's father taught him."

"Who taught you?" Zack asked eagerly. Aqua tensed.

"M-My father…" She looked at Terra, eyes clearly screaming for help. "But I don't really like fighting…"

Terra snorted. "Figures; you're such a girl sometimes Aqua."

The change in mood was drastic. As Aqua frowned and drew closer to Terra, Tifa and Zack found themselves backing away little by little. "What is that supposed to mean?" She asked indignantly.

Terra shrunk. "I meant you don't seem like the type to fight—"

"No, you meant that _because_ I am a girl, I don't like to fight. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I need a man to protect myself. I am perfectly capable of caring for myself."

"No!"

"Yes you did!"

"I did not!"

"Terra, I could take you with both hands tied behind my back, blindfolded."

"I bet you my whole life savings that she could," piped Zack from behind. Terra shot him a nasty look.

"Aqua, I didn't mean it—"

"Even if you didn't mean it, you said it." She muttered, stung.

Tifa smiled weakly. "I know how to settle this."

"How?" Terra asked feebly, at a loss on what to do. Tifa smiled. "How about you really do fight her? If you win, she apologizes for overreacting. If she wins, you take her out on a date this week to apologize."

Tifa; she was a good friend, but it didn't mean she wasn't cunning at times Terra mused, getting to his feet. Aqua bit her lip nervously. "I don't know…that doesn't seem right—"

Well, better to seize the opportunity fate had bestowed upon him. "Are you afraid I'll find out you really can't fight Aqua," he teased. "Or are you just worried you might lose—"

It happened so quickly he couldn't be sure what really happened. Somewhere between the times he'd started talking and he'd landed sunny side up, Aqua had managed to move. She'd whip kicked him behind the knees to knock him off balance, grabbed his wrist and used his own weight against him to flip him over her own body and flat on his back behind her. Not that Terra could really admit he remembered all of this, what with the wind knocked out of him and bright lights flashing before his eyes. Aqua was standing over him with Tifa, looking panicked and afraid as Zack roared with laughter somewhere off in the distance. Everything was echoing.

Terra couldn't be sure what had happened exactly, but staring up in shock, he knew one thing.

He'd quite literally fallen head over heels in love with the blue eyed beauty who was currently terrified he'd broken something in the process.

This would take a lot of explaining to do later at home.


	8. A Subtle Disaster

**Chapter 8**

**A Subtle Disaster**

_Th__is chapter is brought to you by late night Finals, Essays, and stomach aches._

_Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

><p>"Is that her?"<p>

Terra groaned inwardly.

"Yes Father," he muttered, pulling away from Eraqus to meet Aqua under the tree. He almost regretted having been so happy when his father had accepted her so quickly. He'd been so accepting; even more so when Eraqus discovered that Aqua was completely capable of flipping him upside down. Amused, he'd congratulated him on losing and stated that he wanted to meet her. Immediately.

He probably should be more grateful that his father wasn't angry though. He even offered to take the children for the duration of the celebration. Unfortunately, Eraqus knew about Terra's infatuation, which only meant endless teasing from every room in the household. Aqua was waving at him from her spot under the dying cherry tree.

"Terra, you showed up!"

He smiled. "Did you think I was going to stand you up?" He teased, pushing back her hair. "You look nice tonight—is that outfit for special occasions?"

Blushing, she nodded shyly, matching his step as they walked towards the bridge. "I'm not used to human shoes though—I feel like I glued rocks to my feet."

Terra laughed, eyeing her step curiously and sure enough, she was stumbling forward a bit every few steps. Taking her hand, he led the way a little more slowly. "There's someone that wants to meet you," he whispered softly. Aqua's step faltered a bit before catching up with him. She peered forward, looking for her visitor. Eraqus smiled from the first few steps into the village, coming forward to meet them.

"Are you Aqua?"

Aqua nodded slowly, extending her hand out in welcome. "It's very nice to meet you...?"

"Eraqus; it's a pleasure to meet you too. I am Terra's father."

She shook his hand firmly, giving him a warm smile. "I wasn't aware Terra had told you about me."

Terra shrugged. "He figured it out by himself; I didn't tell him about you."

"Figured it out?"

"You do a marvelous job of hiding your true form for someone your age; you must be very skilled in magic to even hide your ears and tail."

Frightened, Aqua quickly stepped back, snatching her hand away like she'd been burned. Eraqus smiled. "It's all right—I don't mean any harm, especially to a lovely young lady like you."

She hesitated, visibly torn between running and staying behind. Terra sighed. "My father…is one of a kind." He muttered, embarrassed.

"I've met your kind before," Eraqus interrupted gently. "A long time ago."

Both teens looked at him in shock. Eraqus reached up, brushing the scar that ran across his cheek thoughtfully. "A _very_ long time ago."

Aqua stepped forward tentatively. "Who…Who did you meet?"

"Two Kitsune; one of the oldest, if I'm not wrong. The eldest went by the name of Yen Sid and the other preferred to called Xehanort."

The shock that was visible on Aqua's face did no justice to the fear that was coursing inside her. Suddenly bringing her hand to the scar, she grew solemn. "Did…he give you this scar?"

"Yes."

"Would you like me to heal it?"

Eraqus paused. "You must be very skilled to pose such a question without hesitation." He whispered with a smile. Shaking his head, he pushed her hand away gently. "No, this is a scar that will remain with me until the end of my days, by choice. It is a reminder of what my past mistakes were. It is a reminder for me to make sure you two do not make those same mistakes."

"He…Xehanort…" Aqua chewed on her lip. "I—"

"No need to worry about it," insisted the older warrior. "If you want to tell him about it later, you may do so, but do not feel obliged to do so—it is not your burden to bear."

Aqua nodded seriously, looking away when she was unable to hide the tremor running through her. Subconsciously, she reached for Terra's hand behind her back, gripping it tightly as his father excused himself for the evening. Gently slipping his fingers between hers and pressing his palm against hers, Terra glanced at her face. Embarrassed, Aqua fell out of her tremor and her normal spell wavered long enough for him to see her ears flattened against her head and her tail bristled up in fear. Surprised, he stared into the now empty space; he'd always known she wasn't human but it was the first time he'd seen her tail since she'd rescued him.

However, whether or not she was human didn't matter right now. Gripping her hand gently within his, he smiled at her reassuringly. "It's alright. Don't worry about it."

Aqua nodded hesitantly, slowly walking towards the village in a daze. Their walk into town as a silent one; in fact, it wasn't until they'd reached the first signs of celebration that Aqua finally spoke up. "What is your village celebrating anyways?"

Terra smiled, pointing at the brightly decorated lanterns. "A wedding; usually, we don't throw such a large festivity but all the merchants returned today so the whole town is in celebration."

"Isn't one of your brother's good friends with some to the merchant's children?"

"Yes, he is," Terra answered, looking at her in surprise. "How did you know that?"

"Axel told me," she answered as a matter-of-fact. She carefully allowed the growing crowd of children to weave between her legs, smiling as they passed by. "He was worried that Roxas would be getting too dependent on him for company."

"Why? I know Roxas can be a bit clingy sometimes, but—"

"Axel has an extended life span," Aqua interrupted. Her entwined fingers rubbed against his subconsciously, her gaze unfocused as she stared of into the few mingling families on the street. "Not like ours, but he will live longer than the average human. He doesn't want Roxas to be upset when he hast to leave because people begin to question why his appearance never changes despite his age."

Terra smiled weakly. "Roxas would probably go after him."

Aqua shook her head. "The opposite I think—If something were to happen to Roxas, I think Axel would lose what little sanity he has left. Axel is very fond of Roxas, whether he wants to admit it or not; I think he likes knowing there is someone in the world who likes him regardless of how extremely out of place he might be."

Terra fell silent, leaving the two of them to take comfort in each other's presence. Looking at her with a sad smile, he silently led her towards the festivities, introducing her to Leon and his wife, Rinoa. He'd have to thank Tifa later; this was a brilliant idea—even if they'd spent a majority of the time sneakily following Aqua's sisters, all whom had sneaked out after her to join the party; Xion in particular, who along with Axel, was being introduced to Roxas's old friends, Hayner, Pence, and Olette. Terra had sat on a wooden crate the whole time, snickering as he reassured Aqua when Vanitas arrived, harassing Xion in his usual manner while Roxas angrily defended her. Both of them had doubled over in laughter as Zack appeared from the shadows, propping Xion on his shoulders and carrying her away to safety, much to Roxas's and Vanitas's irritation.

Grinning from ear to ear as he led Aqua away, Terra casually bought a mask from one of the vendors and slipped it over her head, flicking the fox painted nose with a sly grin. She laughed heartily, leaning against side of the wooden stand. Picking an apple from one of the crates behind the counter and handing it to her, he beamed at her. "Enjoying yourself?"

She nodded enthusiastically, taking a small bite out of the fruit in an attempt to stop her giggling. "This is a lot of fun; are all the people in town always this lively?"

He nodded, snatching the apple back from her without a word and taking a loud bite out of it despite her complaints. "It's a close community," he began, unable to contain his laughter at her serious pout. "It was my apple."

"You gave it to me!"

"And seconds before that, it was my apple."

"Terra, you're being ridiculous."

"My village, my crate, therefore, my apple."

He wiggled the half-eaten apple in her face, leaning in for good measure to annoy her further. Taking his challenge, she leaned in, unashamed as she returned his tease with a nasty glare of her own. There was a split second warning as a hoard or children stampeded through the narrow passageway they were blocking, causing Terra to squawk awkwardly as his was pushed forward, his lips momentarily colliding against Aqua's. His heart skipping a beat, he backed off as much as he could while waiting for the children to pass; Aqua sat frozen, her face flushed a bright pink in response to his own burning cheeks.

"I-I'm sorry," He managed to stammer out, unable to lean away as the children were still running past, some colliding against his legs. His arms steadied at either side of her head, locking her in place. "I am so sorry—"

"It's alright," she whispered, staring up at him in awe.

An awkward silence fell between them, only disturbed by the slight chatter of the ongoing crowds and the giggling of the last children running past. Terra cleared his throat, blue eyes searching her cerulean ones earnestly. Licking her lips nervously, her eyes were frantically darting from his mouth to his eyes. Smiling weakly, he chuckled and reached for her jaw, tapping her lightly to regain her wits. "Earth to Aqua?"

Blushing harder than before, she averted her gaze. Leaning in, he gently pressed his lips to her forehead. "I'm sorry, alright? That wasn't supposed to happen. I didn't mean to startle you." Straightening up, he smiled sincerely, holding out his hand. "It's alright, don't worry."

Slowly reaching out for his hand, she nodded. Their reforming peace however, was suddenly interrupted by a surprised scream from the celebrating crowds and a loud metallic clang against the ground. Gathering around Axel's angry voice, the crowd was getting visibly antsy. Taking Aqua in hand without a word, previous moment long forgotten now, they headed out into the streets. A tall hooded stranger was backing out of Axel's shop, an assortment of metal objects being tossed his way. The last one was a mechanical claw of some sort, something never seen before in town. Axel stormed outside, his blacksmith's apron and bright red hair whipping in the fury of his stride; he was beyond furious.

"Get out of my store! I don't _ever_ want to see you around here with those abominations around here ever again!"

The stranger calmly gathered his things, shoveling them all into a bag and bowing politely in Axel's direction before making his way through the crowd. Aqua exchanged a worried look with Terra before rushing towards Axel's store. Angrily, the redhead grabbed them both by the wrist and lead them out into the shops storehouse in the back. It reeked of powders and was filled with an assortment of tools that only Axel could understand.

"Can't have people eavesdropping," he muttered gruffly, dropping to his haunches and sighing profoundly. He buried his hands into the fresh ground and let his head hang low.

Terra frowned. "I told you to replace that door," he replied grumpily. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing; personal business," Axel looked up tiredly, appearing ten times older than he really was. Or maybe, Terra mused, that was what he was really supposed to look like. "'Didn't mean to interrupt your date."

Terra flushed, Aqua stepping in before he even has a chance to retort back. Gently, she smoothed back Axel's hair, forcing him to look up. "What's wrong Axel? You can tell us, you're among friends."

Sighing again, he let his arms hang loosely over the ground, slowly relaxing. "Did you see the last thing I tossed out into the street? Something metal; that was a foreign trader from the west—he said he wanted to show me the modern things appearing overseas."

Axel shivered involuntarily, looking at Aqua weakly. "I don't know what that awful thing was but I felt something in my gut tell me it was wrong. Just terribly wrong."

Aqua frowned. "What was it supposed to do?"

"That's the thing—I told him I wouldn't buy it off him, that I wouldn't take any of it." The regular sarcastic spark in his eyes was covered by underlying rage. "He told me that the age of swords and arrows was over. He spoke of gun powder and that the best way to keep a steady profit was to sell furs but that last thing he showed me—"

Axel shook his head furiously, digging his bare toes into the dirt. "It was a trap, a brutal trap; its purpose isn't just to ensnare but to cause agony, to tear through the skin the more the prey struggles."

He looked up at his friends suddenly and Terra could finally see that whatever that man had brought had been unforgivable.

"I think the trap was specifically aimed for foxes."

Aqua frowned. "Why would you say that? Humans make snares for prey all the time, why would this one be any different."

"Yeah," Terra agreed quietly, looking from one to the other. "That seems like a broad generalization."

"You don't understand—this foreign traveler wasn't so foreign. I recognized him from the second he took his hood off in my shop."

"But who—"

"It was Xehanort, Aqua."

Aqua flinched.

"Xehanort came to sell me traps for our kind."

"No—he's not supposed to be alive—he's not even supposed to be here—"

"He's back Aqua. Xehanort is back."


	9. Broken Banishment

**Chapter 9**

**Broken Banishment  
><strong>

"Who's Xehanort?"

Axel snorted. "You're kidding, right? Aqua, please tell me you had the sense to fill him in."

Terra frowned, ignoring Aqua's silence and focusing in on Axel's snide remark. "I know he's one of you guys, but why would he come around trying to sell traps for his own kind? That's ridiculous; it's cruel!"

The young blacksmith sighed profoundly through his nose, casting a pitying glance towards Aqua before shaking his long sooty red hair. "She _should_ have filled you in a lot sooner, but there's no avoiding this now." Axel wiped his darkened hands on his less than clean apron, making more of a mess than he was cleaning up. "Xehanort _was_ a Kitsune. He betrayed our customs and was one of the reasons humans became so distrusting of our kind. They banished him many years ago, cutting off his tails and leaving him overseas to die.

"Xehanort started the civil war within these lands, tricking humans into fighting pointless battles and eventually, almost killing off an entire half of the country. He would trick younger Kitsune into wandering into the human world too early, leaving them in the middle of nowhere and forcing them to survive or die. Many of our kind died under his reign. He was stopped by one lone human and Yen Sid; they made sure he would never have the power to kill off either of our worlds, leaving him weakened and powerless in a land where no one would possibly help him."

"But they did," Terra finished softly, expression hardening and posture stiffening as the gravity of the situation took hold. "Someone helped him, nursed him to health and now he's back to get revenge for what happened."

Axel nodded. Aqua had yet to look at either of them, stuck within her musings and formulations.

"Who would help him though?"

"He was said to have a way with words," Aqua murmured at last, gaze lowered to the ground in a deep trance. "A seductive manner of explaining things that enraptured people into doing what he wanted. He would use whatever he could against you. Very few opposed what he said."

"He was a master of seduction?" Terra asked, looking amused as Aqua shot Axel a nasty look for snickering.

"Way to have your mind in the gutter Terra," teased the red head, chuckling quietly to himself.

"This is _not_ a laughing matter!" Aqua snapped suddenly, effectively shutting them both up. Giving both of them a very pointed look, she huffed, stepping away from both of them and folding her arms over her chest. "If what Master Yen Sid told me was true, then even as a human we shouldn't underestimate him. He may not have any power or magic but the fact he brought those traps is a sign that we cannot trust him."

Axel sobered, nodding silently. "I agree. He knows who I am, he was asking for trouble the minute he stepped into my store."

"What should we do?" Terra asked quietly, glancing from one to the other. "There's no telling if he'll come after you Aqua."

"You forgot something," Axel interrupted, standing up, rubbing the soles of his bare feet on the hard ground. "I'm a Kitsune too, not to mention a half breed. He hates my kind more than he hates either of yours."

"We need to tell Eraqus and Master Yen Sid." Aqua added already heading for the door in a firm determination. Grasping her by the wrist tightly, Axel shook his head.

"You tell Eraqus—I'll go up ahead and tell Yen Sid. I'll take your sister's home too."

"Axel, they might not let you in—"

"Excuse me?" Aqua and Axel froze, suddenly very aware that Terra was still there. "Why do you have to tell my dad again? I'm human; there's no reason for him to come after me—"

"Your dad was the one who defeated Xehanort," Aqua answered awkwardly. "He told us that he got his scars from Xehanort, remember? I…didn't want to believe it was him but…everything adds up…"

"So in a nutshell," Terra began, feeling a little weak. "He'll probably come after my family if he figures out who we are."

Aqua nodded. "I'm sorry you had to find out this way but—"

"No, it's alright. You had reasons not to tell me," He grabbed her by the hand and started heading for the door. "We'll talk to my father—do you mind?"

Axel held his hands up in defeat, grinning slyly. "She's not my girl Terra."

Flushed, he ignored him, pulling Aqua out of the shed and dashing through the fields behind the town. "We can cut through the forest to avoid being seen; it's faster than the winding path."

"You know the way?" She shouted as they hit the dense overgrowth of the scenery. The trees seemed to shudder at their arrival, the animals frighteningly silent as they rushed through the woods.

"I've had to hunt out here sometimes during the winter when food gets hard to come around town," He called out behind him, forcing himself to increase speed. Aqua was dancing across the hidden roots of the trees; he supposed that being a Kitsune meant she would always be daintier than him. "If we hurry, we can make a plan and see if there's anything that can be done from our side."

"Terra, you don't have to do this," Aqua slowed to a stop, tugging him to do the same. "I know your family is in danger, and family comes first but you shouldn't feel like you need to fight for our behalf as well."

"How can you tell me that I can't fight for you?" Terra cried out tiredly, now walking forward at much slower pace. "Tell me Aqua; how can't I fight for Axel, who takes care of my introverted brother and makes sure he doesn't become a hermit when he's only eleven? What about Vanitas, who finally seems like he's becoming human when he's around Naminé and not a complete jerk around Xion? Sora is great friends with Kairi now, and even Ventus loves to be around you."

Turning around, he clasped her hands between his. Caught under her serious stare, Aqua hesitated. "Aqua," He began quietly. "You guys are my family too."

Flushing pink, she nodded. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face into his chest. Caught by surprise, he froze, arms slightly raised in surprise. "Thank you Terra, that means a lot."

Just as quickly as it had happened, she released him, smiling up at him gratefully before turning back to the barely visible forest trail. "Shall we go then?"

It happened faster than he could have imagined it—no, he never could have imagined it. It happened before he could respond to her, and it happened so quickly, he barely heard it happen. Most of all though it happened so quickly that he'd frozen when it did happen.

Aqua let out a cry in surprise as she slammed into the hard ground, a loud smack rebounding through the tall trees as her limbs connected with the uplifted root of a tree. Flailing momentarily in a state of panic, there was another subtle whip in the air and suddenly, she couldn't lift her arm. Snapping out of shock, Terra fell to his knees, only able to watch in horror as the spell that Aqua had carefully knit over herself to be seen as a human fell apart, collapsing into the small form of a silvery fox. Writhing in sheer terror, the Kitsune—Aqua—flailed all of her limbs, tail lashing about the ground as she struggled to escape her imprisonment. Gathering his wits, Terra started patting her fur down to search for the cause, holding her head to the ground so she wouldn't hurt herself.

"Aqua—Aqua, calm down—"

He winced as she bit his hand—hard. Not deterred from his course of action though, he clamped down on his lip and continued searching. Something sharp cut the fingers to his spare hand, a small drop of blood following a tiny silver thread that upon closer inspection, turned out to be similar to woven strings of steel. One was wrapped tightly over her midsection and the other had grabbed onto her left leg; the larger one was tightening with every move and the one on her leg was already beginning to stain red, cutting into her flesh.

"Aqua calm down, please!"

Tugging one of the strings up, the metal cut into his fingers; judging by her feral cry though, he wasn't the only who was injured. Her fear was growing, less of a struggle to find her attacker but more of a struggle to survive, her breathe growing ragged as the strings pressure continued increasing over her slim ribcage. Searching the ground frantically, Terra groped around for anything with an edge, something sharp enough to cut the string. Finding a pointed rock nearby, he snatched it up and attempted to slice the snares off her to no avail. A dent was pressed into the rock, the snare only tightening its hold over her body. Whimpering softly, Aqua's body was slackening, her eyes beginning to shut and her breathing slowing dangerously. Terra felt his body grow cold, the stone dropping from his hands; there was no way he could release her.

The metal-like string was too strong. He didn't have a sword on him and the snare was too tight around her body now. It would suffocate her. Placing his hands on her small silky frame, he stared in horror, a small tremor running through his hands as the gravity of the situation set in.

"No…Aqua, please…stay awake Aqua."

The roar of a flame erupted around her suddenly, running down the snare's length and engulfing it. Letting out a strangled cry, Terra immediately started patting it out, only to realize moments later that the fire was barely warm to his hands. The snare dissolved into soot within a matter of seconds and flames died out. Aqua choked out a harsh breath, immediately scooped onto Terra's lap and guarded by his own body. Looking around for the source of the fire, he let out a shake sigh when Axel came into view.

"Thank you," he whispered softly, burying his face into Aqua's soft grey fur.

She smelled of strawberries.

A few seconds passed and she returned as the Aqua he knew, with only the ears and tail to give her appearance away. Axel balanced himself on his haunches, brushing her hair from her face. "She must've instinctively felt that form might have a better chance of escaping than her human one."

"She can do that?"

Axel nodded briskly, leaning down to take her from his embrace. "Yes, but she's never felt the need to. I need to take her to Yen Sid; her wounds can't be treated by human medicine. Her sisters are already home. I heard her screams from the entrance to our world. You're lucky I heard at all; I was just about to leave the human world."

Terra held Aqua closer. "But—"

"You need to get home Terra; there's nothing you can do for now. All you can do now is make sure that your family is somewhere safe." Axel continued, removing Aqua as gently as possible.

"But how did—"

"He knew we were going to do something like this Terra and the fact that he didn't put the traps at the entrance of our world means that he knew you would be coming this way. He knew she would be trying to warn someone who wasn't a Kitsune, which means he knows who your father is and where to find him." Axel stood up, avoiding Terra's nervous look. "I won't say it again Terra; your family is in danger. You need to go home. Vanitas and Roxas already started going home. Get going now, while you still have a chance. I set a spell to burn the rest of the snares in the forest."

"Axel, thank you—"

"Just go."


	10. Departure

_Sorry for the wait. I've had a...long April.  
>We had a death in my dorm. It's still getting better.<br>Forgive the wait. Enjoy the chapter._

* * *

><p>Eraqus had seen a number of things throughout his lifetime; he'd been in battle, fought off many foes. He had helped stop Xehanort from continuing his rampage, befriending one of the most secretive races that lived in the country. He'd married his (now late) wife and had four wonderful sons. He'd relocated his family after his wife died in hopes of bringing back the smiles of his two eldest sons, Terra and Vanitas. There had been times when he'd injured himself or been nearly bed ridden but the sound of one of his sons searching for him would force his personal pain aside for as long as necessary. He'd built up years of internal alarms to awaken him from anything if one of the boys got sick or hurt. Somehow, carrying Ventus around the house as he cooked dinner, he found that this was no exception either.<p>

Straightening up, he placed Ventus on the table just in time as Terra barged into the house, panic stricken. An awful sense of foreboding coursed through him; something was wrong, that much was for sure. "What is it Terra?"

"Xehanort"

If it hadn't been for his years of practice juggling four sons and housework, Eraqus would have failed to notice Ventus slipping from the table. Carefully maneuvering to catch his son, he smiled grimly. "So she told you…I suppose I shall answer any other questions you have—"

"No—Xehanort is on his way here. Now."

Terra was running through the house, searching the rooms for something. Ventus whined quietly, whispering something about following his brother before slipping out of his father's grasp and tottering towards the hall. Terra (who had also developed a sixth sense for his siblings) swooped Ventus into his arms with ease. "He's back and he's coming for you—he tried to sell traps to Axel—hunting down Kitsune's—"

"Terra, Terra, calm yourself," Eraqus began gently, his frowning growing deeper by the second. "You mean to tell me he survived?"

"Yes, yes— He's come back for revenge; he knows where we live and he's headed this way. " Terra held out the sword that was firmly in his grasp. "We have to stop him."

They'd finally hit the line that couldn't be crossed; Eraqus shook his head, reaching out and prying the weapon from Terra's hands and calling for Sora to come out from the kitchen. Wobbling out on his clumsy toddler legs, Sora beamed at Terra, already holding out his arms in an open request to be held. Ventus had run himself into the back of his brother's legs and was rubbing his nose unhappily. Terra ignored his siblings, staring at the sword and his father, confused. "I don't understand…What are you doing?"

"You need to take your brothers away from here. Pile up cart for the trip, take Belle and leave town."

Terra felt his heart drop. "W-What? B-But dad—"

Eraqus ignored him, already heading for the small kitchen and pulling out dried foods from the emergency stores. "You must go all the way out of town and past the first two villages. Head back to the ocean—our old home should still be there. You will have to stay there until I can reach you. "

"Dad—"

"Vanitas will put up a fight but it won't be anything you can't handle. Sora will probably have trouble eating some of the dried foods because his teeth are still a little weak and Ventus has a few loose teeth so he may be some trouble as well. You can take this small barrel of pickled plums—"

"Dad!" Terra shouted, startling his youngest brothers. Sora cowered and hurried to Ventus, who sat uncertainly at Terra's feet. "Dad—I can't just leave! He already hurt Aqua; I can't just leave after that! I have to fight—"

"With what weapon Terra?" responded Eraqus seriously, motioning towards the sword in his own hand. "We only have one weapon and it isn't yours."

"But I can still fight—"

"Terra, I'm not young anymore and you aren't experienced enough. I can't protect all of your brothers, even with your help."

"I would have been experienced if you had let me go off to the army!"

"Terra," Eraqus snapped, patience gone. "You are _not_ a warrior. You are brother and you are my son. I am not asking this as a favor Terra; this is not a force to be reckoned with. For now, all I ask of you is to take care of your family."

Terra protested softly, shame coursing through him and heating his face as Sora buried his face into the back of Terra's calves, Ventus copying the motion onto his other leg. Succumbing to his youngest siblings, he nodded in silence. Eraqus sighed weakly, sliding the sword through a small loop at his hip. "Go and prepare the cart. I will fetch the horses."

"What's going on?" Vanitas shouted, panic stricken as raced up the hill leading to their house; Roxas was struggling to keep up, panting heavily by the time he caught up. "Where are we going?"

"We're leaving," Terra answered quietly, mechanically scooping Ventus up into the small cart.

"_Obviously_, but where?"

"Back home."

"This _is_ home!"

"Van," Terra began, exhausted. "Please. Just get into the cart."

"But—"

"Get into the cart, _now._"

Roxas winced, shrinking under his tone, barely giving him a glance as he passed his older brothers and climbed into the cart. Taking Sora onto his lap, he sat silently, waiting to leave. Vanitas, however, glared at Terra before taking off towards the house. "Dad!"

Terra sighed heavily, making sure that everything and everyone was secure before grudgingly following his brother. Vanitas was already at the top, banging angrily against the wooden door frame; his father must be blocking the entrance from the inside. Outraged, Vanitas abandoned his assault and began shaking the frame instead, pounding his fists against the wooden walls. "Dad! Dad, I'm not going!"

"_Get into the cart Vanitas."_

"No—"

"_Vanitas. This is __not__ up for debate. You are going and that is final! Now, get into the cart and leave!"_

Hands dropping from the house, Vanitas stood, stunned and torn. His father had never spoken to him like that. Before he had a chance to recover from the surprise though, Terra had effectively snuck up on him and pinned his arms to his sides, lifting him up onto his shoulders.

"H-Hey—Terra! Stop it!" Vanitas howled angrily, flailing his limbs wildly.

Terra dumped him into the cart, crossing his arms and glaring down at his brother. "Van, we're running out of time. We have to go. We have the bow for food, we'll be fine."

"B—But—we can't go back—"

"We are."

"No," he muttered weakly, looking more and more like a frightened child than his usually snarky teenage self. "No, I won't go. I can hunt here; I can take care of myself. I won't go."

"Van, we—you—can't stay. I'm sorry."

"Van-Van?"

Vanitas and Terra looked at Sora. The tiny brunet had crawled over the arrangement of things that they were taking and was tugging insistently at Vanitas's sleeve. He smiled brightly, the wide gap between his front teeth incredibly noticeable. "Les go. Dad's gonna be sad if you don' go. Is okay. We safe."

"B-But—"

"Big Bwoda Tewa's gonna be wid us!" Sora continued, waving his tiny toddler arms around happily. "So don' be scawed."

"_I'm not scared—"_

"Is okay."

"I'm _not _scared," Vanitas groaned, suddenly scooping Sora into his lap and burying his face into Sora's unruly hair. "Shut up."

Terra took this as a sign of defeat (considering Vanitas never held Sora and looked to be nowhere ready to let go right now) and hurried towards the front of the cart. Belle was already there, the chestnut mare nickering anxiously as he checked her reigns. Once he was sure they were properly attached, he climbed into the seat and taking up the leather reigns. The leather was soft against his toughened farm-worn hands and he was suddenly flooded with the memories; the scent of strawberries and the feel of soft, warm hands entwined with his. Laying in the grass and admiring how the sun reflected against her hair, how her eyes shone when she laughed at his humor. Her insistence at taking strawberries home every time, so she wouldn't have to make an excuse about having visited the human world, if needed. Glancing back at the forest, he could feel his heart pounding, his emotions conflicting painfully. Aqua was safe for now—Axel would make sure of that. Stiffening his back, he snapped the leather, Belle nickering in complaint as she began trotting forward.

Too slow. He could still make out the forest.

Whipping the reigns again and again until Belle was at a quickening gallop. He couldn't look back for now; he didn't trust himself to keep going if he looked back. Family came first. Family had to come first. Sora and Ventus were too young to protect themselves. Vanitas wasn't capable of saving himself, regardless of how much he boasted about being a valuable hunter. Family came first.

Even if he was ripping out his heart in the process.

* * *

><p>"You know you can't hold him off forever, right?"<p>

Eraqus smiled, not bothering to look away from his home. Axel's voice after all, wasn't that difficult to recognize. "Yes, I know."

"Old man, you should have left with your kids when you had the chance." Axel sighed, exhausted. "I know you're worried about Aqua too but that wasn't any reason to stick around for so long—"

"I take it you heard the tales as a child too?"

Axel huffed. "What Kitsune _hasn't_ been told about your heroics? Even the humans in the village know about your war tales."

"They were exaggerated tales that had nothing to do with the truth."

"So is the scar over your chest an exaggeration too?"

Eraqus didn't respond.

"I always wondered why you didn't tell Terra about the price you paid during the war. How Xehanort almost killed you and those scar on your face is the smallest price you paid." He laughed. "Do you know he still defends you when the villagers insist you got injured elsewhere too? He said that if you had any other scars, it wouldn't have been so lethal. You're god in his eyes."

"Why are you here Axel?"

"Tell you that Aqua is in good hands right now—her sisters will be watching over her until Yen Sid gets the chance to help."

"That doesn't explain why you are here." Eraqus balanced his sword carefully between his palms. Terra had taken good care of it. "You aren't very sentimental unless it comes to your brothers and Roxas."

Axel stuck his tongue out at the back of Eraqus' head, well aware that he was being teased. "Roxas reminds me of my little brothers. Not my fault he sticks to me like glue…"

"Are you going to tell me?"

"Are you going to let me stay if I do?"

Eraqus let out a slow sigh, heart dropping considerably within his chest. "You aren't one for taking orders; either way, you would stay."

"You a lot wiser and smarter than the villagers make you out to be—and they think you're a philosophical genius."

Eraqus' gaze never wandered from the house. So many memories in such little time. "There is something you are not telling me."

Axel laughed weakly. "He has an accomplice."

His sons had grown so much in the past few years without their mother, Terra in particular. It hadn't been fair to any of them. Life was so cruel. Eraqus closed his eyes. "Of course he does; I didn't expect him to get so far alone."

"Old man, if you knew that why didn't you leave with them?"

"Family comes first. I must protect them for as long as I can. I can't do that with Ventus clinging to my leg." Eraqus replied softly. "Speaking of which, how is your mother?"

Axel flinched. "My mother stopped 'living' when _they_ found out she had two more kids. She's never been the same since they came and ransacked us, trying to figure out if she had gone off with my good for nothing father and had more half-breeds like me. She's still alive but all she does is stare out the window. I know they meant well, trying to keep their own kind safe and hidden but they can be so…_heartless_ sometimes, you know?"

"Who, the humans or the Kitsune?"

A curt smile. "Both."

* * *

><p>"You look a lot like your mother Aqua."<p>

Aqua struggled to focus, in the state of minimal consciousness as she wavered in and out of reality. Yen Sid was next to her, doing something she could not recognize in her stupor. Was she awake? Was she really awake? Or was she still dreaming, enraptured with a happy world where her sisters were playing outside and Yen Sid was acting almost fatherly? She closed her eyes.

"You are both different of course, but you look like her none the less. Xion resembles her the most. You all inherited her unique eyes. I often wondered how you managed to accept them all so easily, your mother having given you all different fathers. Your heart never stopped being selfless, and I am proud of you for it."

Head slowly turning, she attempted to focus on the Master, her vision blurry and hazy. He was little more than a cloudy shape to her. Perhaps more sleep would clear her mind.

"I used to believe that this would be your downfall, but perhaps, it is your greatest strength. I can only hope that this selflessness will help you when the time calls for it. You have good friends. Even if neither of them is accepted within our world, I am glad that you finally made such trustworthy friends. From what your sisters tell me, you've made multiple human friends."

She sighed softly. Sleep would clear her mind.

"Aqua, I won't stop you if you decide to leave again but at least try to take care of yourself. Afterwards, if you plan on trying to sneak out again, leave a note for me to find. You were never very good at being sly; those sorts of genetics specifically went to Xion, not you. "

* * *

><p><em>Did I ever mention how much I love writing the relationship between these two?<em>


	11. A Promise

**Chapter 11**

**A Promise**

* * *

><p>Terra was almost done making breakfast when he heard the steady beat of hooves galloping towards the small hut. Roxas and Ventus were outside, Ventus cheering loudly and shrieking with joy. The happy cries were quickly drowned over by Roxas's horrified yells, Terra immediately dropping the stirring spoon in his hand and rushing outside. Eraqus was already off the horse, carefully attempting to lift Axel's unconscious body from their mare. Jogging to his father's side, Terra helped him carry Axel into the hut. "What happened?" he asked hurriedly, strain evident in his voice.<p>

"In a moment Terra," Eraqus muttered, ducking to avoid hitting the low entrance. Carefully maneuvering around the small cooking pot, they took Axel to a spare grass mat and laid him there. Straightening up, Eraqus turned towards his sons. "Terra, bring me some water. Roxas go and fetch the medical herbs in your supplies."

Terra paused; he hadn't noticed his brother following him into the house. Roxas stood hesitantly at the door, eyes only on Axel and his face growing paler with every moment he had to gaze upon his friends open wounds. Eraqus cleared his throat. "Now would be nice boys."

Startled, Terra nodded, scrambling to his feet to find the small bucket they kept water in. By the time he returned, Roxas was already there, frantically spreading out the herbs and picking out the ones he needed before treating his friend. Eraqus took the bucket from Terra, gently lifting Axel's head and pressing the ladle of water towards lips until he drank. Rising to his feet, Eraqus quietly led Terra out of the room, bringing him outside. "I suppose I owe you an explanation?"

"I suppose," Terra retorted softly, unable to bring his original hate up to the surface of his being anymore. Axel's awful appearance had knocked the animosity out him. "What happened?"

"It…I think he could explain his injuries better than I—at least _how _it happened. I'm not sure what happened, but I have an idea." Eraqus cleared his throat. "First of all, I should probably inform you that we no longer have a house. Xehanort burnt it down, with the help of his assistant."

His knees felt weak. Leaning back against the hut, Terra closed his eyes. "Nothing could be saved?"

"Only a few things could probably be salvaged, I believe. We were confronted by Xehanort as I expected—we did not expect his assistant to be so…cunning. While I was preoccupied with Xehanort, Axel went after the other, whom had taken refuge into our home. Halfway through our fight, I realized that Axel's flames weren't under control and he wasn't stopping either. Xehanort stepped away and I knew something was wrong—we'd been tricked."

"Axel burnt down our house." Terra finished glumly.

Eraqus smiled weakly. "Not with ill-intention, I believe. However, as to how he lost control of his fire is something you'd need to ask him. I found him unconscious in the house."

"What do they want, revenge?"

Eraqus sighed, shaking his head. "I don't think so—not for the assistant at least. Xehanort I could understand wanting revenge but the other has no motives. Some people just want to see the world burn, perhaps."

Silence fell between them, interrupted only by the ocean breeze and the lapping waves in the distance. "Where is Vanitas and Sora?" Eraqus murmured.

"By the water," Terra replied quietly. "Sora convinced him to make a sand-castle. He still won't talk to me."

"Are you sure he is the one refusing to speak?"

Terra didn't reply immediately.

"Do you think Roxas will be alright?"

"Axel is the best friend he has Terra," Eraqus responded gently. "How would you react if someone had brought Tifa or Zack into the house unconscious and hurt?"

* * *

><p>Aqua sat at under the bridge, toes occasionally dipping into the water as she watched the rivers flow. Yen Sid took a seat beside her, silent.<p>

"I should have been here." She murmured, her thumb absently rubbing against the small blue bead adorning the bracelet Terra had given her the day they met. The soot on her hands smeared the stone. "I should have been here."

"There would have been nothing you could have done—"

"I should have been here—"

"It was completely out of your hands Aqua, you were still unconscious."

"I could have done something."

"They are still alive."

"But at what _cost_ Master Yen Sid," She interrupted loudly, half wailed as she fell into a state of internal despair. "I have no idea where he is, what happened to his family, if they are injured and worst of all, regardless of whether they are alive, where will they live now? Their house is _gone_! Of all people, I understand what that is like. The town is empty—I can't ask for their whereabouts."

Aqua buried her face into her knees, ignoring the uncomfortable pressure it placed on her forehead. "I don't know what to do."

Yen Sid stood, one of long tails brushing over hers in a subtle manner of gathering her attention. "The humans have a saying for when one of their own is feeling depressed."

"I don't want to know right now."

He ignored her. "You're only human."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Aqua whispered. "I'm a Kitsune, almost an adult of my kind. We are supposed to be wise, all knowing, and ethereal. We are not supposed to make mistakes, especially of this caliber; I should have known there was a trap. I should have been able to sense it or at the least, escape it. I don't understand."

"You may not be human, but you are still young Aqua." Yen Sid began calmly. "Even the oldest of our kind still make mistakes. As for the trap, it's not your fault. It was a humanized trap with an infused spell. I remember that kind of magic and I assure you that even I would not have been able to detect it. Escaping that trickery would be almost impossible without help; you were fortunate that Terra and Axel were nearby."

"What should I do?"

"You've always been very smart Aqua but you still expect to be told what to do. For once, make your own decisions about the future. What does your heart tell you to do?"

* * *

><p>"Vanitas, you should come inside. Breakfast is ready." Terra bent down to his brother's height, peering over the dark hair and into his golden eyes. Vanitas shrugged, starring absently at the sea. Terra sighed. "Come on; even Sora is going. See, he's already halfway back to the hut."<p>

"I'm not hungry."

"You haven't been hungry for three days now Van, you need to eat something eventually." Terra grunted, falling into the sand beside him. "What's wrong?"

"I'm just not hungry."

"Look Van, I know you're not happy to be here—none of us are—but it's not an excuse to sit out here and waste away."

"I hate this family."

"I'm sure you do."

"I hate you. I hate this place."

"I figured that out on the way here when you tried to run away for the third time in a row." Terra answered, amused. "Are you going to tell me why you hate us or will you come inside and eat?"

Vanitas refused to answer. Sighing again, Terra nudged his brother lightly. "Dad is here; he'll worry if he sees you out here in the cold. It's not exactly an ideal beach day."

Vanitas shuffled uncomfortably. "Do…you ever think about it? The day she died."

Terra frowned. "Of course I do. I still remember it clearly. Is that what's bothering you? It wasn't your fault, you know. She was our mom; her job was to make sure we were safe."

"Don't you wish there was something we could have done though?"

"Always"

"Then why did you leave?" Vanitas began, drawing small figures into the sand with his fingers. "You have the chance to do the same with _her_ and all you're doing is causing her trouble. She could die because of you and you don't realize it. Doesn't that make you worse than me?"

Terra frowned. "Is this really about me or is this your way of acting like you're alright?"

"Does it matter?"

"Look…Vanitas. First of all, it wasn't your fault. That was four years ago, you were nine. There was nothing we could do. You were always a stubborn kid, but believe me; mom did not have that running through her mind when she ran into the ocean to save you. Second of all, mom loved us more than anything, end of story. Thirdly, Aqua is not a part of this and even if she were Aqua is smart enough to avoid going head first into a suicide mission."

Getting to his feet, Terra yanked his brother up. "Now quit your pity-party and come inside with me. You're just being a brat now."

"Says the one who's yanking his little brother home against his will," complained Vanitas, clearly still annoyed. "You're awful."

"You need a new insult; you've said to me at least six times a day since we've gotten here."

"Obviously it hasn't sunken in yet," he muttered as the passed through the door. Ignoring Roxas and Axel at the far end of the room, he marched over, took his breakfast and went outside again. Terra approached his brother, lightly touching his shoulder before realizing that Roxas was fast asleep. Eraqus, whom stood silently nearby, motioned towards Axel with a slight nod. Axel was awake.

"What? No pretty princesses to give me my 'you're-alive' kiss?" Axel teased hoarsely, a crooked smile already forming on his features. "Or are you volunteering Terra?"

Terra rolled his eyes. "Moron; aren't you at least going to ask what happened?"

"Oh no, I remember that," Axel grumbled, head rolling to the side, eyes widening upon noticing Roxas. Smiling tiredly, he summoned up the strength to lift an arm and pat the blond on the head. Roxas mumbled in his sleep, moving and shifting on the grass matt. "He's too good of a kid."

"The rest of my sons make me wonder what I did wrong with the eldest two," Eraqus sighed tragically. "How are you feeling Axel?"

"Like I have a hundred paper cuts and was tossed into a crate of sand," Axel bemoaned quietly. "I'll live though…Terra."

"Yeah?"

"You're going back—I know you will, don't give me that look. Aqua is going to be looking for you too. You two are ridiculous," Axel coughed. "I'm going to let you know what happened but you need to promise me something at the end."

"I just want to know what happened Axel," Terra insisted. "He burnt down my house—"

"I burnt down your house," Axel corrected tiredly.

"It wasn't your fault—"

"My flames—your house—same difference." Axel sighed. "I…I'm sorry. I underestimated the situation. His accomplice is someone I know—Xigbar. He was another banished Kitsune. We thought he was dead. I guess they never checked up on his whereabouts after the banishment."

Axel shifted uncomfortably, accidently waking Roxas in the process. Crying out happily, Roxas was about to reach out when he hesitated and opted to smack Axel upside the head instead. "You're so stupid!" he cried out angrily, repeating the aggressive motion. "Why do you always have to stick your nose in other people's business?"

Laughing, Axel winced under the weak blows. "Roxas, I would really appreciate it if you brought me something to eat instead."

"You should starve."

"I love you too sweetheart. Please Roxas—food. I need it desperately. Water too."

Rolling his eyes, Roxas flicked his friend on the forehead before rising to his feet and leaving the room. Terra slumped slightly. "You were saying?"

"Xigbar," Axel continued. "He was banished for doing what he wanted—he was one of the reasons we received a bad name. Xigbar specializes in teleportation spells. He was originally a renowned magic user but now, he's nothing more than a teleporting menace. He would relocate my flames across the house. Once the bond between the fire and the user is cut, I don't have control over what it does."

"You said he _was_ a renowned magic user? What happened?"

"In true Kitsune, our magic comes from our tails. In the case of a half breed like myself, my magic comes from my heart; the stronger the heart, the stronger the magic. If you manage to cut off his tail, he won't be able to bother you anymore." Axel sighed tiredly, eyes closing again. "Xehanort cannot be allowed to live—he's out to hurt the entire town. I warned the villagers to leave beforehand but I highly doubt he's left. Terra—you promised you would do me a favor."

"Yes?"

"My brothers," Axel choked out, succumbing to a coughing spell. Eyes watering, he cleared his throat. "I couldn't get them out in time. They're stuck in town with my almost-comatose mom. She won't get up unless someone forces her and they won't leave without her. I need you to promise me you'll get them out safely."

"On my life."

Axel laughed, head resting back again as Roxas returned from the other room carrying a small bowl of soup. "Careful what you say Terra; I'm sure Aqua wouldn't be too happy to hear you say something like that."

* * *

><p><em>I am sooo sorry for the wait. Lists of priorities include grades, work, and health. Mostly health. Currently recovering from the flu and stomach flu, for example. And as a side note, we are officially (roughly) four chapters from the end! <em>

_I'm a horrible person, I know. I didn't have a large amount of time to edit this so please, if you see any errors feel free to message me as I am currently in Finals week and am stressing about the importance of math in my life.  
><em>


	12. Gone

**Chapter 12**  
><strong>Gone<strong>

* * *

><p>Aqua was tending the fresh lit fire she'd built in Axel's shop when she heard the sound of galloping hooves, the clapping noise gradually slowing down as it approached the village. Almost on her feet, she hesitated. Quietly, she pulled the grass matt away from the doorway, just enough for her to peer out. Sure enough, Terra was coming into the village, sliding off his horse and tying it to a small wooden fence. Gently she pulled away from the doorway, leaning against the wall and curling her knees to her chest. He was safe; it would be best if he had no idea that she was here. He wouldn't understand.<p>

Terra approached the small house with delicacy; he'd never been to Axel's house until now. The irony of the situation was almost amusing. Knocking gently, he waited from someone to come to the door. Almost immediately, three boys peered around the doorway. Terra frowned. "Riku, what are you doing here?"

"My mom is trying to get Axel's mom to leave," he replied simply, tugging one of the other boys around the corner.

"Who are you then?" Terra asked softly to the remaining boy.

"Lea," whispered the toddler. He looked barely older than Ventus, clearly the shyer of the two brothers. "Where's Axel?"

"He's with my brother. Where's your mom?"

Lea grabbed Terra's hand, tugging him into the tiny house. Riku's mother was in the other room, seated next to Axel's mother. The woman's dark auburn hair was tied into a small withering bun, her turquoise eyes staring out the window listlessly. "Hello Terra," whispered Riku's mother. "If you're in town to see what remains of your home, I suggest you go do that. I can manage with their mother."

"How long have you been here? The entire village evacuated, didn't they?"

"That's true; they all left when the fire began to spread down the valley. We aren't sure when it stopped but...I suppose that boy did something about it, am I right?"

Terra hesitated. "Why did you stay, out of everyone? You have Riku to look after. What made you stay? If anyone owes anything to her, it would be my family, not yours."

"We are a little different too," She replied simply, her sea green eyes momentarily glancing over him before smiling. "I don't suppose you ever bothered wondering why my son's hair was different."

Terra huffed. "Just how many of your kind are there?"

"Not as many as you think," She whispered, reaching over and pulling Axel's mother upright. "But we tend to stick in kinship families of at least two."

"Will you take them to the next village over then? Axel should be returning soon."

"Did you hear that? Axel will be back soon—I'll tend to my family. You shall tend your own. Don't worry Terra, they'll be fine."

* * *

><p>She was almost done smothering the fire when she felt him approaching the house—his house. Startled, Aqua slipped out from under the burnt remains, paws stinging briefly above the still smoldering wood, her slim tail whipping behind her. Slowing to a trot at a safe distance away, Aqua watched as Terra reached the house, the sheer anguish visible in the slump of his shoulders and how his steps haltered at the top of the hill. She looked away, taking shelter behind a tree before resuming a more human form. Taking a deep breath, she sat and waited.<p>

Terra was examining the burnt wood when she stepped out. He looked up, hand halfway to his father's sword, startled. She cleared her throat. "Hi Terra"

"Aqua—"Terra rose to his feet, stepping over the debris and opening his arms to embrace her. She met him halfway, burying her face into the front of his chest. "I was worried about you."

"I know," She murmured, pulling away. "Where is your family?"

"They're far from here—out of Xehanort's reach. What are you doing here?"

"I…"

"Aqua?"

Aqua took a deep breath, closing her eyes and taking a few steps back. "I came to help you."

"Aqua—you don't have to. This is my problem—my families problem—"

"You are my family too Terra," Aqua interrupted, hand over her heart and shoulders back in determination. "I won't take no for an answer."

"I can't watch you die again Aqua, not when I know that there's nothing I can do to help." Terra replied weakly. She shook her head.

"I'm staying."

"How sweet, star crossed lovers giving their short lives for each other."

The singsong voice came from above, Xigbar dangling from the branches with a Cheshire smile pasted across his face. "Oops, did I ruin the moment?"

He disappeared, the light wispy smoke barely beginning to waver away when he appeared right behind Terra.

"Sorry to hear about your house," he drawled, wrapping an arm around Terra's shoulders. "Word is that it went out in a blast though."

"Get off of me—"

Gone again; Arm around Aqua's waist now, Xigbar snickered. "Now, now—don't get all hot and bothered. The main event isn't even here yet—he's wanted to pick a fight with your family for a while. I think he'd be happy to hear the first to die would be that old man's first born son."

Undeterred by his antics, Aqua wrapped her own arm around Xigbar's waist. "Why are you here then? Why do you need to be here?"

"Like I'd tell you—"

"Xehanort is like a half breed now, isn't he?" Terra interjected. Xigbar whined, rolling his eyes.

"You two have no sense of adventure! Way to ruin the suspense! Is your boyfriend always such a spoil sport?" He nudged Aqua's side, winking suggestively. She ignored him.

"Why are you here?" She repeated coldly, eyes narrowing into thin icy slits. "You have no reason to be here."

"Neither do you, but you're still here," retorted Xigbar, shaking his head. "Kids these days; anyone with their right mind would know two against one isn't a fair fight."

"You mean how you attacked me in the forest and later burnt down Terra's house?" Aqua shot back. Her grip against his waist grew tighter. "You're telling me that was a fair fight?"

"Maybe—what are you going to do about it sweetheart? Hit me? You wouldn't—I'd just teleport away."

"Don't mock me, I'm not stupid. I know you can't teleport away from someone who's touching you unless you want to take them with you." Aqua snapped.

Terra hesitated. There was something different about the way she was acting—it wasn't that he'd though Aqua unable to get angry. It wasn't anger though. There was something underlying her voice and he didn't quite like it.

"I'm a lot stronger than you poppet," Xigbar yawned, clearly not interested in going anywhere. "I can easily push you off and teleport to safety—don't think I don't know you can fight. Your dad taught you how to fight right? He wasn't a match so what makes you'll give me a worthy fight—"

Aqua slammed her fist straight into Xigbar's nose, the older man crying out in pain as he doubled over. She reached over him and pulled his body against hers. Looking back at Terra, he suddenly recognized the emotion he'd been sensing; fear. Aqua smiled weakly and closed her eyes. "Good-bye Terra."

And with that, she was gone, nothing but slight smoke and charcoal left where she'd been standing. Shocked, Terra struggled to breathe.

They'd just…disappeared, right into thin air in front of him.

They were gone.

They were gone and he was still here.

She was gone.

Gone—not even nearby—who knew where she'd gone with that maniac and she was all alone with no one to help her—

Gone

* * *

><p>Xigbar groaned loudly, one hand covering his eyes and the other pinching the bridge of his nose. "You sly little fox," he moaned on the ground. "You could have at least given me a warning."<p>

She didn't reply. He opened a bleary eye, turning his head just enough to see her lying on the ground beside him, breathing heavily and looking at the ground with dazed, watery eyes. "Ah—I heard you were a top-notch spell weaver but even for you…how far away are we?" He muttered, words pronounced nasally.

"A-Across the ocean—far from home."

"You brought us _both_ here? You really did go on a suicide mission doll. Even I wouldn't be stupid enough to try this—can you even stand?"

She sighed, closing her eyes. "If you don't mind, I'd like to put our fight on hold for a few moments."

Xigbar snorted, coughing under the effort. "No arguments there."

"Not even going to try and attack me?'

"Naw, I don't feel like putting in effort into it right now. Did you tell lover boy that you were doing this?"

"No, it's just you and me."

"Did you really have to punch me in the nose then?"

"I didn't want you to redirect the transportation spell."

"Maybe you aren't as stupid as I thought then."

"Thanks."

* * *

><p><em>Ah, sorry for the belated update. I'm taking summer courses in a different city and I barely have time to write anything, let alone find wifi to post it. We're nearing the end and I'm sorry for any heart break that I've created so I tried to apologize with a little Xigbar banter but if that didn't work and you still dislike me for any reasons, I'm sorry. D:<em>


	13. Fear

**Chapter 13**

**Fear  
><strong>

The ground beneath his foot gave way, Terra tumbling down the hill. Ignoring the painful scrapes spanning over his bare skin, he scrambled to his feet, bolting down the remainder of the hill. Slowing to a stop once reaching the tree that grew directly between his house and the town, he frantically looked around the area, hand clutching his burning wrist. "Aqua!"

Frustrated, he leaned against the tree, closing his eyes as he tried calm down, his heart pounding.

"Where are you…?"

Something sharp brushed against the side of his cheek, a warm trickle of blood slithering down his face as he pulled away from the trunk. A long blade retracted into the dead branches, a gruff man glancing down at him with distain. "I am not very apt with human weapons nowadays; what do you think? Did I make it sharp enough?"

The grating stone scraped across the blade roughly, Terra cringing involuntarily under the sound. The man seemed unaffected. "You are wasting your time by the way; humans have an awful tendency to forget the larger problems in life when they have a lovely jewel like yours to look at."

"Where is she?"

"In a world you will never know—or at least, might have known, but not anymore."

"You're Xehanort, right?" Terra shifted uncomfortably, unable to tear his eyes from the uncanny resemblance of his own reflection that stood before him. Few things looked different but the eyes…

"If you are wondering why I look so similar to you then I am sure you haven't been asking the right questions about me," Xehanort answered curtly, sheathing the blade and leaping down from the tree. "For example, what do you _really_ know about me? Did you know that I single handedly took down _armies_ of soldiers at your age? That I committed 'unspeakable crimes' for the sake of creating a better world where only the strong could hope to survive? And what have you done, boy? You've helped raise your brothers in a shoddy little home, become a poor hunter, stayed home rather than join your lands army and recently lost your gem. If you ask me, you haven't amounted to much through your pitiful life."

"I wouldn't say that," Terra murmured, hand hovering over his own weapon. "After all, it's not really up to you to say if my life was worth living, don't you think? Now, where is Aqua?"

"You should have asked her before she left. Communication is the key in a relationship, no wonder you're having trouble. It's no wonder you couldn't keep her in control."

"She's not mine to control."

"Obviously, considering she ran—"

"Stop toying around with me!" Terra snapped.

Xehanort scoffed. "Do not bother to make threats you can't follow through with. I am sure you're aware you sprained that wrist. Pulling out that weapon now is just signing your death sentence."

His hand didn't move. "I've done more difficult things with a sprained wrist; taking you out wouldn't be a problem."

"Just because your father trained you does not mean that you are anywhere near his equal."

The sword swung faster than he could feel the pain, slicing through air instead. Wincing, his arm dropped a centimeter under the pain before raising it up again. Slowly circling around, he scanned the area. "Where is Aqua?"

"You worry about the wrong things. Do you not ever worry about your family?"

Still nowhere to be seen; Terra ignored the searing pain engulfing his wrist, continuing his scan of the surrounding area. Nothing in sight, he closed his eyes.

"Lose sight of one thing Terra and you'll lose sight of everything. Or isn't family of importance to you anymore?"

Terra lifted the blade, pointing forward as he opened his eyes. Xehanort smirked back at him a few steps away. "She's also my family," he muttered tersely. "So tell me where she is."

"Slitting my throat won't spell out her location Terra," Xehanort remarked in return, giving the blade an indifferent look.

"I wasn't planning on it. Sorry, but I don't have time to waste on you. You're as good as dead anyways." Terra mused, suddenly kicking dirt up into the air. Turning heel, he started running down the small slope to the river when something sharp sliced at his calves, nicking the very top of his heel. Grunting in pain, he stumbled forward into the river. He sputtered, the fresh water splashing into his mouth. Shocked, he struggled to his feet, the small nick bleeding out into the clear running water.

"You really don't ask the right questions," Xehanort sighed tragically. "Are you honestly going to just run off without at least asking why I look so similar to you?"

"H-How did you get here—that's impossible—"

"Nothing's impossible if you really try Terra." Laughing, Xehanort pointed the blade at Terra's heaving chest, mocking him with a curt nod. "Especially when you aren't really bound to the laws of the living like I am."

* * *

><p>"What are you going to do now?" Xigbar drawled, sprawled out on the coarse sand. The ocean waves lapped against the shore, violent and angry in premonition to the rising moon and storm. "If I can't get up I'd say that your little princess feet can't find the ground either."<p>

"I would appreciate it if you were to be quiet for another moment please and thank you," Aqua muttered, eyes shut in concentration.

"You can't tell me that you're dying from that one spell!" He groaned, words garbled by his still injured nose. "That's just pathetic, especially coming from you."

A rocky plateau forming under his back, the sand near his wrists wrapping tightly and hardening into natural cuffs as Aqua sat up, exhaling slowly. "Who said I was dying?"

"I'm not really into bondage sweetheart. Can we try something else?"

"Like what," Aqua responded calmly, looking in his general direction. "Are you looking into something around the lines of transporting yourself back home?"

"No, I was thinking you'd realize your little Terr-bear won't survive alone."

"I have faith in him," Aqua began gently. "He will be just fine. If anyone can see that monster for what he is, it's Terra."

"So much faith in a human," Xigbar taunted. "I'll never understand why you went for an idiot, especially a human—"

"They are strong," she retorted firmly. "I have faith in Terra—he'll understand what has to be done."

"And what about you sweetheart; can you do it? Can you do the right thing and kill me? Or will you continue to be your merciful self?"

Aqua tensed, glaring down at him as she rose to her feet. "You murdered many of my kin, betrayed our kind, slaughtered countless others for the sake of a madman and you still have the audacity to ask for _mercy?_"

"I'm not really asking for it if you were going to give it to me in the first place. It's just like you to be a coward in the moment of truth."

Smiling sweetly, Aqua laughed. "My friends and family are my power Xigbar; where do you draw your strength from?"

Unfazed, he smiled back.

"From the insecurities of others like you."

* * *

><p>Xehanort's speed was the least of his problems when he couldn't even find a good footing to keep from slipping back into the river. Terra stumbled back, flinching as he managed to parry of a blow to his ribs but wincing as the parry lead the blade to his calves again. The river seemed to be bleeding from where he stood, yet no matter how many times he swore to make a hit on the man, Xehanort had yet to bleed.<p>

"What's wrong?" Xehanort taunted calmly, swinging and slashing with ease. "Still in shock over a forever lost love?"

Frustrated he swung again, slashing through fabric that _he swore ripped_ but once he blinked, it was repaired, no damage done in the end. Falling back into the water, Terra twisted away towards his right, barely avoiding the blade that would have pierced his shoulder. He surfaced, sputtering and coughing while his lungs screamed for air, heart pounding furiously against his chest in panic and fear as he searched the water wildly for his sword. Another metallic twang filled his ears as Xehanort missed again, his laughter ringing in his head as the man continued playing with him, trapping him in an endless cruel game of cat and mouse.

"Didn't your father teach you not to drop your weapon when your back is turned?"

His injured wrist ached feverishly; the skin was warm to touch even under the cold current that soaked his clothes. If he didn't hurry, all his promises would go down with him and no one would ever know. He was going to die and his only chance at staying alive was nowhere to be found. As the steel missed his hand once more, Terra grasped a stone in panic and flung it back, now tossing rocks whenever he had the chance as he continued his frantic search.

Brushing against the broken steel with his fingers, he ignored the stinging sensation coursing through his hand as he took the splintered blade in hand and flipped back, stabbing up in a sheer panic.

Xehanort smiled calmly, as if the blade that had just pierced his shoulder were nothing more than a scratch. Grasping the wet steel, he carefully removed the weapon from his injury and twisted it out of Terra's grasp.

"What—I don't understand—"Terra gasped tiredly, hands scrapping against the rough riverbed as he back away. "What are you—how can you—"

"You really should have asked about me before you came looking for blood," Xehanort began calmly. "You see, you can never really kill a Lasting Sentiment, not of an exiled Kitsune like me."

Terra choked, Xehanort's own blade piercing his chest in a flash of silver. He wasn't even aware of the pain; hands shakily reaching up to grab the steel in shock. With nothing propping him up, Terra fell back into the water, his vision fading into a dark hazy mist as he subconsciously noted that the blade was fading darker and darker, heating in his grasp. He was being submerged, liquid blurring image and sound all together, and suddenly—darkness. No sound, no wind, nothing.

"You can never really kill a Lasting Sentiment."

No memories. Blank spots; everything seemed so far away.

"But a Lasting Sentiment _can_ kill you."

* * *

><p><em>I am so so so sorry for the wait, I truly am. Two more chapters to go, this update is late and what do I give you? Angst. Reasons to dislike my cliffhanger. I don't blame you but things will get better, I promise! :)<em>

_My to do-list includes these last two chapters and Emmymetal's fic, which is almost done. I'll be gone from August 23rd to September 5th so I'm hoping to get this all done by the middle of next week. Keep your fingers crossed and we might just be done by next Friday! Thank you for the support and all of reviews!  
><em>


	14. Faith and Dreams

**Chapter 14**  
><strong>Faith and Dreams<strong>

"Terra—Terra, wake up."

_Dark; pitch black all around him, his hands moving in still air but unable to make a breeze on their own._

"Terra you lug, get up."

Terra winced, the bright sunlight filtering through the makeshift window crack as he rolled in his bed towards the voice. "V-Vanitas? What are you doing here?"

"You slept in so I had to make breakfast. You need to do my chores now."

"What are you talking about—Xehanort—"

"Who the hell is Xehanort?"

"The guy who stabbed me—"

"Terra, I really don't care if you had a nightmare about dying. I just want you to do my chores."

Vanitas rolled his eyes, reaching over and smacking him on the chest. Terra grunted, sitting up in a daze. "That hurt," he grunted unhappily. "What gives?"

"You're awake. Go do my chores."

"Did you make food for everyone or just yourself?"

"Just me; they can cook for themselves."

"Cook for them and I'll do your chores. Otherwise, I won't."

Vanitas groaned, giving Terra a nasty look before backing out of the room. Terra frowned, tearing off his shirt and giving his chest a good inspection before pulling his clothes back on. Stepping out into the narrow hall, he frowned. "Van, where's Dad?"

"Did you fall off the bed last night or something? He's out of town, remember?"

"But—what about Aqua—"

"Terra, I'm trying to cook something decent for people I don't like. It's not as easy as it sounds."

Terra huffed irritably, walking down the hall towards the other rooms instead. Sliding the small door open, he stuck his head in worriedly. "Ven, Roxas, Sora? Are you guys up?"

Sora yawned, lolling lazily on Roxas's feet. "Uh-huh…"

Ventus smiled sleepily, rolling towards Terra's legs and clasping them firmly in a tight hug. Terra smiled weakly, lifting him up to reciprocate the action before placing him back on the ground. Ven giggled and rolled onto his side, closing his eyes peacefully.

"Roxas," Terra began slowly. "This may sound weird but how did I get here?"

Roxas frowned. "You came home last night after Dad met Aqua and passed out. Are you okay?"

He hesitated. "I think so—did you say Dad met Aqua? Didn't they already meet?"

"No," Roxas answered slowly, peering up at his brother curiously. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

"Yes, I'm sure—Roxas what was I doing in the village last night?"

"You went out with Aqua—"

"But why—"

"I don't know, ask her yourself," Roxas snapped back, giving him an odd look. "I don't follow you around. She's out by the river waiting for you anyways. You're being really weird today."

"You're not too far off the mark there," Terra muttered, turning to leave.

"What?"

"Just make sure Van doesn't burn the house down, okay?" He called out behind him as he slid the front door shut, smiling to himself as Vanitas shouted something angry and unintelligible behind him. Taking a deep breath, he let the fresh air fill his lungs, drawing what little strength he felt at the moment from his core and straightened up. Tensing and relaxing his calves slowly, Terra ignored the shiver that ran down his spine. He couldn't have dreamt the whole thing…

Shaking his head, Terra began his jog down the hill, attempting to ignore the sense of foreboding that was coursing through his body. Aqua was waiting by the edge of the river; he could see her waving from the small slope close to the bridge. Smiling she beckoned him closer silently, sliding down the slope smoothly as he approached.

She was waiting for him at the edge of the riverbed, skipping small stones across the surface of the running water. "Terra," She welcomed cheerfully, eyes firmly set on the ripples of the water.

"My brothers said you met my dad last night." Terra started, rubbing his right wrist, subconsciously aware that it didn't hurt like he knew it was supposed to. In the back of his mind he felt the pain like it was a fresh injury, a burning sensation in his bones and pressure on his chest. Something wasn't right. It couldn't be. "Did you really?"

"I did," Aqua answered softly. "Don't you remember?"

She turned the slim stone in her hands, face obscured by her hair as she fell silent. With the midafternoon sun shining, her hair glossed by its bright light, she looked almost eerily beautiful, like a dreamt version rather than the real Aqua, who was beautiful even with her many subtle flaws.

He ignored her question. "What were we doing by the village in the first place?"

"We went on a date—don't you remember Terra? It was only last night."

"That's not right."

"Of course it is silly. You took me out on a date—"

"No, that's not it. We went to the village's celebration of a wedding. That's why we went to the village the day my father met you."

Aqua hesitated, visibly stiffening in her spot. "No, that didn't happen. You must be confused—"

"Aqua, look at me—something's not right. I can't tell if my memories are the faulty ones or if it's everyone else's memories but I know that something isn't right."

"You're the one who's got the wrong memories Terra," Aqua answered sharply. "It has to be. My memories match everyone else's after all."

Terra hesitated. "Aqua," he began slowly. "I'd appreciate it if you looked at me when I spoke to you."

"Why?"

"Well, for one I'm talking about something important."

"I know you are."

"But you haven't looked at me at any point and it's sort of bothering me."

"Why should that bother you?"

"Because you're too polite to avoid looking at someone when speaking with you," Terra replied curtly. "And you typically don't snap like that either. What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know Terra." She turned to face him, a worried expression almost wrongly painted on her beautiful face. "Why don't you tell me what's wrong with you?"

"T-there's nothing wrong with me," Terra sputtered in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"Are you really awake? If you truly find something wrong with this situation, tell me now." Aqua rose to her feet, gently patting the rocky grit from the riverbed off her calves. "Tell me what else is off? Isn't it strange that you remember things that haven't happened? That your family doesn't seem to care about what I am?"

Terra stiffened awkwardly, unable to tear his eyes from her appearance. She was more dazzling by the second, the sun making the silky shine to her hair twice as apparent and her eyes a glistening cerulean at first glance.

"Are you having second thoughts about it now?"

"About what," he answered absently, shoulders beginning to slump as the rest of his body began to relax. What was he talking about again? Everything was fine. Nothing was wrong so what had he been so upset about before?

"About your decision to join your lands defenses Terra," Aqua began gently, her words spinning in his mind like a rapidly sung lullaby. He blinked, dizzy. "About everything; are you regretting having second thoughts about accepting that proposal?"

"No, why would I?" Terra muttered incoherently, dazed. The sun was a little too bright. "It's everything I trained for. I worked hard to serve my land in the most honorable way. Why would I doubt myself?"

"You just seemed preoccupied with something, that's all."

"I'm not worried about anything."

"Are you sure? You aren't worried about how your family will react to your decision? What about your father? Will he be okay with raising the rest of your family on his own?"

"He'll be fine…" Terra winced, head reeling with information and colors. Something was wrong. His mind was a jumbled mess of memories and emotions. A horridly perfect image of himself laughing coldly, his brothers sitting silently in the back of a cart, Aqua laughing joyfully as they sat together in a field—none of this met his current situation correctly. Confused, he looked up and glanced at Aqua. "I…I don't understand what's happening…I can't remember…"

"Why don't you go splash a little water in your face?" Aqua suggested gently, reaching out to take his hand. "It may clear your mind."

"I don't really feel like moving," He murmured but allowed her to lead him into the river anyways. The ice water licked at his calves, like tiny needles continuously stabbing at his skin.

"Think Terra," Aqua muttered softly. Her hands reached up to his face, her fingers tracing small circles by his ears. "What does your mind tell you?"

"Everything was a dream—stop it Aqua. I'm fine." He complained weakly, arms moving pitifully against his sides.

"I thought so…" Aqua brought slid her hands down to his mouth. "Your mind and your mouth are just copying what you think is right Terra. It's just a dream."

Slowly, her smooth digits glided down to his chest, tapping gently where his heart was and pressed lightly. "What does your heart say Terra?"

"I don't understand—"

"Terra, did you really choose to leave your family behind? The Terra I know wouldn't choose that."

"But—"

"Terra, look at me. Tell me honestly that you would leave your family behind."

"I…"Terra shook his head. "I don't want to make the wrong decision Aqua."

"You didn't. You were brave, very brave. It was the right choice Terra," Aqua answered sincerely, standing on her toes as she kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry, but you need to wake up now. You're family needs you."

"I don't understand—"

"Wake up Terra. This isn't a dream. It's a nightmare."

"Aqua, what are you talking about—"

"Terra, why else did you bring your sword?"

He flinched, suddenly aware of the cool metal clutched firmly in his right hand. The pressure on his chest was not from her hands; she wasn't even touching him there anymore. She smiled. "It's okay Terra. It's just a dream. Nothing bad will happen."

"But I can't—how do I—"

"You know how to wake up Terra. Defeat the nightmare. Overcome your fear."

"But you aren't my fear—"

"You're afraid of giving up your family in order to be happy Terra; there is nothing wrong with that. Your family is just as important but they need you right now. I need you right now, in the real world. You're afraid of seeing me hurt again, to watch me die. But this isn't real Terra. It's okay."

He swallowed; throat closing like he'd swallowed something too quickly. "I-I can't Aqua—"

"It's okay Terra." Aqua closed her eyes. "It's just a dream. Don't give in so quickly. You are strong."

She lifted his right arm, pointing the blade at her chest. Her smile fell short slightly, and she sighed. "I hope that you have only good dreams from now on Terra."

"No—"

Darkness. The pressure on his chest was subsiding and growing all at once, the rush of cold water engulfing his every orifice. A wave of horror and heartache raced through his blood and with a loud cry, he grasped the first piece of the broken blade he could find and shoved it up as hard as he could. Heaving, he sat up, unable to watch as Xehanort collapsed into the water. Crawling out of the river, he coughed, sputtering water everywhere. Unable to stay up longer, he relaxed.

It was over.

* * *

><p>I'll be gone for 2 weeks, so see you then!<p> 


	15. Overwhelmed

**Chapter 15**

**Overwhelmed  
><strong>

Terra awoke to the smell of incense, the strong perfume almost intoxicating. Slightly nauseated he snorted loudly, turning in the bed as far away from the smell as possible. Adjusting his weight on the bed, Terra noticed everything that made up the bed was completely natural, hand carved in a very natural way. Even the bed was arranged from many springy branches and large leaves that smelled faintly of rain. The scent however, interrupted his thoughts and scowling half asleep, he sneezed.

"I take it you don't smell incense very often?"

Terra jumped, fumbling upright as he frantically sought the source of the voice. Yen Sid watched him in amusement from the bedside. "It was a gift from Aqua's sisters," he continued calmly, motioning to the tiny arrangement of incense and flowers on the small hand carved bed table. "They seem to have taken a liking to you, particularly Kairi. She left the flowers for you."

"Where am I?" Terra grunted, hands pressed up to his heavily bandaged chest. The wrapping was soft and brushing against the fabric, he realized it was silk. "I thought I was going to die in that river…"

"Well as luck would have it, you passed out right side up in the river just a few feet from one of the many entrances to our world. Under normal circumstances, a human would never be allowed to enter but we made an exception for you due to a debt I owe your father. We aren't so begrudging to let a human die on our doorstep-especially the son of an old friend."

"I don't understand though-my dad-he always told me that your kind-Kitsune-were tricksters. You're saying that you were friends before?"

"Sometimes, the people who love us say things that do not make sense in order to protect us. Sometimes they say cruel things. Sometimes however, they do irrational things."

Terra frowned, clearing his throat uncomfortably. "You mean Aqua too, don't you?"

Yen Sid closed his eyes, vaguely smiling as he nodded. He reached over, pulling up a hand sized sea shell.

Dipping it into a lowered basin of water, he offered the fresh drink to Terra.

"Aqua has been under my care for many years now but she's changed in very few ways during that time. She's had to make many difficult choices prior in order to protect those she loves." However, it seems as though her actions today may be of some consequence to the both of you."

"What do you mean?"

"She has left a letter for you," Yen Sid began calmly, pulling out a thin roll of paper from his sleeve. Placing it on the side of the table, he glanced back at Terra seriously. "It will further explain her previous intentions. It's not in my place to tell you what she was doing in the first place."

Terra nodded glumly. "I understand," He murmured, sipping the cool water quietly.

"Tell me Terra; why do you think that Xehanort began his expedition?"

He hesitated, caught off guard. "Well…he said it was because he wanted to create a world where only the strong would survive, I think…"

"How do you think he went about convincing people and Kitsune alike to join his cause? How do you think he was able to kill so many so easily, efficiently, and quickly?"

"I-I don't know…"

"Fear," Yen Sid answered simply. "Fear and hope drive forward many but fear drives everyone in the cruelest ways. We all fear something; the inability to protect someone, the lack of power to fight, to lose something. The ones who claim to fear nothing are the ones who fear the most. There is nothing wrong with being afraid but to hide your fear is a dangerous action. By exploiting the denied fears of his victims and enemies, Xehanort was able to do massive damage in the past."

"I have known Xehanort since his youth and if there was one thing that he excelled in it was manipulation. He knew how to go about convincing others that their beliefs were wrong, that someone who told the truth was a liar and someone who was a liar told the truth. Even when he was young, fear was something he knew how to control very well."

"You see Terra, by controlling someone else's fears, you can tear them apart from the seams if you so desired. By exploiting someone's fears, Xehanort is able to work his way into every moment of your life but worst of all, our most vulnerable moment. When do you think that moment may be?"

Terra frowned, thinking back to his encounter quickly. "When we sleep?"

"What brings you to that conclusion?"

"Well we can't defend ourselves if we're sleeping. There's no premonition of fear so if someone is really careful, they could easily attack you while you sleep."

"Not quite wrong but you are thinking from a warriors prospective and not a mental perspective," Yen Sid answered kindly. "In actuality, it is when we dream that we are most vulnerable."

"I don't think I follow."

"In our dreams, fears and hopes take their most physical form; these are what we call our nightmares. I'm sure you've had to console your siblings at one point or another due to a bad dream. Children in particular have a distinct memory for bad dreams; this is because the dreams seem so real. To anyone having a bad dream, the experience tears us of our senses-we cannot tell if something is a dream or reality. Xehanort's favorite manner of confusing and recruiting for his cause was to make them dream an endless euphoria and awaken us to a crueler reality. His favorite torture however, was to weave a dream of panic, pain, and horror. At that point, anything would be better than our deepest fears, yes?"

Terra bit his lip. "In my dream, Aqua died…was that the nightmare or was it-"

"That is for you and only you to know Terra." Interrupted Yen Sid suddenly, taking the shell from Terra's hands. "You should get more rest; you'll awaken somewhere safe within your realm. Aqua awaits your response so I suggest you do that swiftly once you awaken."

"Sir-"Terra cleared his throat awkwardly. "If I don't know where Aqua is, how will I get the message to her?"

"I'm sure you'll think of something," Yen Sid mused, gently forcing Terra's head back onto the bed. Waving a hand over him, Terra suddenly felt his body weaken, mind tiring almost instantly.

"After all, young people always find a way to communicate behind their elders backs."

* * *

><p>Aqua relaxed her tensed shoulders, diaphragm expanding and contracting slowly as she let the ocean breeze entertain her senses. She could taste the saltiness in the air, see the wind blow against the thin scarce plant life, hear the soft murmurs of the passing breeze, smell the marine water and feel the slight dampness that had telltale signs of an upcoming rain. Entertaining herself by drawing small circles in the sand with her toes, she took another deep breath before exhaling loudly. Balancing on the balls of her feet momentarily, she hesitated and took a step towards the water. She could feel the mist rolling in from the outskirts of the ocean; it must be morning soon.<p>

From the mist arose a small wisp of smoke, hardly noticeable among the growing fog but it immediately caught her eye, growing stronger and larger with each moment. In less than a minute, a smoky figure with a striking resemblance to Terra stood before her, his emotions conveyed clearly on his gas features as if the real Terra were there in front of her at that moment. She would never forget his torn expression.

"I read your letter," Terra began quietly, words gritting and grinding against each other as if his throat would not permit them to transition from thought into speech. "And I think I understand why you decided to do all of this on your own."

Aqua nodded silently, smiling weakly as she watched the gas replica straighten his shoulders and tighten his core as if to brace himself from a blow. Terra had a habit of swallowing up his emotions.

"Just because I understand doesn't mean I agree though—you can't just decide things for yourself Aqua. I could have helped—I could have done something—I like how headstrong you are but wouldn't it have helped to let me in the loop?"

She smiled, looking away quietly before turning back to the figure.

"If you really did succeed in your near suicide mission then I'm glad you're okay. I have faith in you though; I'm sure you made it to wherever you redirected Xigbar to. You're a strong person. I'm proud of you."

"I'm proud of you too Terra," Aqua murmured softly, taking in his every sublime action and memorizing them all one at a time. The way he shifted his weight every few seconds when he was uncomfortable; the manner in which he looked down momentarily as he would gather his thoughts. The gas replica didn't due him justice she determined silently, smiling as it took another lifeless breath.

"Yen Sid said he tried to look for you but he wasn't able to track you down, which meant either you're far on the other side of the land or really far away."

"He mentioned that if you weren't reachable then he had no idea when you would be returning. I don't think you'll be able to get back to me either, considering this fox statue thing is a one way means of conversation but who knows. You're a smart and ingenious person—I'm sure you'll figure something out." He cleared his throat extra loud, forceful and fake, as if to mask his distress. "Um—so about the rest of the letter—my father, Yen Sid and I discussed the matter of your sisters while you were gone and it seems like Xion was pretty up to date with the events. I don't know if you've been counting but it's been about four days since you disappeared."

Aqua gasped quietly, shoulders slumping. She could have sworn less time had gone by. She'd been so preoccupied with her own situation that she hadn't bothered to take notice in the elapsed time.

"Kairi will stay with Yen Sid until Axel heals. Zack came by when the villagers started moving back in and offered to care for Xion with Tifa. He said to come back soon. Riku's mother agreed to Naminé in until she was old enough to go live with Yen Sid. My family is going to stay with a few friends in town while my father and I rebuild the house."

"We'll make sure your sisters grow up safely, don't worry. Axel said he'd be happy to keep training them if you wanted—"He took a deep breath, fidgeting for a moment before resuming. "Yen Sid said it would be best if they stayed in the human world, considering that we're the closet relatives you have."

"I don't think I have much more to say except...come back soon Aqua. We'll be waiting for you. Your sisters will be waiting for you to come back—Naminé probably won't even understand that you won't be around for a while. Just...come back soon. I'll miss you Aqua but we've still got this connection, one sided or not and even if it's just to let you know your sisters are okay, I'll be sure to speak to you every day."

Aqua choked, half laughing and half forcing back a quiet sob. Crossing her arms over her chest, she took a deep breath, held it, and exhaled.

"You'll be sick of my voice by the end of it Aqua and I'm positive you'll wish you had never given me this fox in the first place. Anyways, I'm sure you'll be fine, wherever you are. I have faith in you."

"I have no idea where I am though Terra," Aqua whispered sadly, a tiny smile fading from her features. "I only redirected the teleportation. I don't know where I landed, just that it's across the ocean."

"Xehanort won't be a problem anymore, so we believe. I'm pretty sure that Xigbar won't either-you seemed to have handle on things, or at least I'd like to believe so."

She buried her hands under her arms, curling forward a bit against the brisk marine winds. She had handled it well but she still felt like an executioner, regardless of the lacking amount of blood on her hands. He was doomed to die anyways-without Xehanort, he would have no way of surviving or releasing himself from the rock prison. Despite the bloodless death sentence, she still felt guilty and unclean.

Worst of all, she would have to remain there until his sentence was carried out and his last breath entered the atmosphere. Worst of all, she would be there to see it all, preventing his release by unwary humans and Kitsune alike. She wasn't even sure how long it would be until he died-the difference in life expectancy for a Kitsune as compared to a human was too different. She never imagined she'd have to know either for a situation like this.

"And Aqua," Terra continued, interrupting her personal waves of anguish and misery. "Don't change. No matter what, promise me you won't change. We wouldn't have met if you'd been any different. We may never meet again if you change. We may never meet again if I change. I promise to never change, for you. You, who flipped my world upside down and made me realize that there was more to life than my simple narrow minded manner of protecting my pride."

He closed his eyes, smiling miserably. "Thank you Aqua, for becoming a part of my life. Come home safe and soon."

Aqua watched in silence as the smoke dissipated, Terra's gas form blew away with the wind.

"You're wrong Terra," she shouted suddenly. A rush of energy surged through her and before she knew it, she was running towards the water, arms outstretched like a bird taking off. "You're wrong! You came into my life!"

Laughing and crying all at once, she cried out and up at the greying morning. Ignoring the crashing cold water against her already soaked clothes, she inhaled profoundly and relaxed. "You came into my life," she repeated softer. "And I will never forget that."

* * *

><p><em>AN: Wow, I'm so sorry about the really late chapter. Not only because it's way over due but because we're almost done! Can you believe it? It's been a long journey, inspired by a fanart by the wonderful sea-dragon on deviantart (go check them out!). I wish I could have gotten to all of you sooner but after my vacation, school snuck up on me so I've been torn between academics and odd jobs since then. I hope you enjoyed the end to our current tail and look forward to the epilogue! Thank you for all your support on our journey together!_


	16. Epilogue

**Chapter 16**  
><strong>Epilogue<strong>

"Vanitas, if you don't leave right now you won't find anything out there that will be worth bringing back." Terra repressed a sigh. "Van, you're going to be late!"

"You're late," Vanitas remarked glumly, picking up his bow at the doorway. "If you were paying attention, you would have seen me at the door."

"Do you have everything?" Terra frowned, reaching over to straighten out Vanitas' backpack strap. "You know dad only agreed to let you go hunting alone if you promised to go prepared this time—"

"I only forgot the tent last time, no one needs that—"

"And you brought back way too much food last time—"

"We can sell that—"

"And you can't be gone for more than three days—"

"I'll be back in two hours if it'll get you to shut up." Vanitas groaned unhappily, wriggling out of Terra's fussing hands. Huffing, he started heading towards the backdoor. "I'm leaving now."

"You're not going to say good-bye to Sora?"

"No, I hate all of you. Why would I waste my time with that?"

"Because they're your family," Terra responded calmly. He smirked. "Not even Xion?"

"She'll slap me again," Vanitas muttered under his breath. "It's not like she's in town anyways."

"You shouldn't harass her then."

Vanitas snorted. "Whatever. I'm not heading into town this time anyways. I'm leaving when I want so I'll be back whenever I feel like it."

"Like hell you will," Terra started but Vanitas just rolled his eyes and walked out the back door. Chest rising and falling under a sigh, Terra turned back towards the house. The newer floorboards creaked quietly under his feet, light snores from Ventus' room echoed through the house. Snickering quietly to himself, he slipped out to the front of the house. Kairi was already walking up the house, large basket in hand. "Is Sora up yet?" she asked happily.

"Oh come on Kairi, when is Sora ever awake before noon?" Terra teased, taking the basket from her arms. "What did you bring up for us this time?"

"Some fresh fish and herbs—Axel sent a note with me."

"How's he doing? I haven't seen him since Roxas decided to apprentice under him. Are they busy?"

Kairi nodded. "Axel's finishing up proving that he learned something to Yen Sid, so he's really busy with that and teaching Roxas. His mom's been really nice though."

"I'm glad to hear that. How's Xion?"

"Yen Sid took her to train a bit before she can stay with Axel, since Aqua isn't around." Kairi shrugged. "She'll be back today though."

"Does she still hold a grudge against Vanitas?"

"Yeah"

Terra chuckled, sliding the door open further to allow her entrance. Her red ochre tail swept across the doorway, lifting slightly to prevent dirt from brushing into the home. "Oh, I almost forgot—Riku's mom took Naminé right?" How is she?"

Kairi shrugged. "She wants to stay here in the village, I think. I guess it's ok—I mean, she looks like a human. More than I do, anyways." Flexing her legs continuously, she stood impatiently. "Can I go wake up Sora?"

"Go ahead," Terra replied, waving his arms dramatically. "Wake up the sleeping bear boy."

She grinned, scampering down the hall. Chuckling, he turned back to the basket, reaching in and taking out the note Axel had haphazardly stuffed in. Dusty from both the charcoal words and Axel's coal covered hands, Terra began deciphering the blacksmith's messy scrawl. Brushing aside the thin black dust, he frowned. "Kairi, can you read this?"

He looked around. "Kairi?"

"I'm in Sora's room!" she hollered.

Terra chuckled, placing the basket at the end of the hall before walking to Sora's room. The door was shoved open; Sora's cluttered room was displayed in all its glory. Sora however, was invisible under the heaps of clothes and blankets. Kairi began yanking the clothes off; with one strong tug, she started heaving Sora out of the fortress of fabrics. He whined, clinging to a blanket and wrapping himself into a tightly wound cocoon.

"What are you doin' Kairi?" He grumbled, pressing his face into the floorboards. "It's too early."

"Get up sleepy head! You promised we were going to the river today!"

"It's too early," he whined, curling into ball and out of Kairi's grasp. "'Sides, I'm not ready yet—"

"You can just wear what you have on, it's just gonna get muddy and wet anyways!"

"But I'm comfy—"

Kairi groaned loudly, dropping herself onto Sora's midsection dramatically. "Riku's gonna be mad!"

Sora hesitated. "Is he already awake?"

"Probably—Riku's always awake before us." She sat up. "Wasn't he going to teach you how to catch a fish with your hands today?"

Sora shot up like a rocket. "Aw man, I forgot all about that!"

Kairi giggled, scampering out of the room and into the hall; Sora was already tearing off his clothes and rushing to find a clean outfit under his mess. Terra sighed exasperatedly, holding out the note. "Kairi, can you read Axel's note for me? I can't read his chicken scratch."

She shrugged, taking the paper delicately before taking a glance. "I can try but I can't make any promises. He hasn't gotten better at writing since I moved in with him 5 years ago."

"If it makes you feel better, he hasn't gotten better at writing since I met him and that was when he was seven."

Kairi giggled, handing back the paper. "If I can't read the stuff he writes, I usually ask instead. It's easier." Placing the note back into Terra's hands, she allowed Sora to run between them before taking off after him. "We'll be back soon! Tell Ventus hi!"

Terra nodded glumly, ignoring their loud shrieks and laughter as he headed for his own room. Ventus had gone on an annual trip to the ocean with their father and had yet to return. His greatest concern was Vanitas returning from his hunt _after_ their father arrived. Sighing, he took up his sword and slid it into the loop Sora had attached the other day. 'It'll be easier to grab', he said. 'That way you won't have to ruin your clothes or carry it'.

Little did Sora know the loop didn't balance the weapon well enough, therefore the sheath dragged on the ground more than often. However, it was the thought that counted.

Making sure the food was stored somewhere cool, Terra set out towards the village. Everything had been changing so rapidly lately; more and more people from across the ocean were visiting. Traders, merchants, and people who were simply seeking a new start in the countryside—it wasn't just the people either. The merchandise and crops were expanding. Houses were morphing into what a few traders called 'western style'. He could only imagine what the city looked like, seeing as the countryside's were always late in modernizing.

Not that it was a bad thing, he mused, children playing in the now longer paths. His house wasn't as secluded from the town anymore, and his brothers made plenty of friends nowadays. The cold winters were bearable with sturdier crops and villagers more than willing to share food. Many businesses bloomed under the population growth, Axel's in particular. With more people came more merchants and traders with swords that needed sharpening, knives that couldn't be sold dull, and most of all, good gunpowder. He was teaching Roxas how to handle the shop now, simply because he couldn't balance the learning curve of new merchandise and dealing with customers.

However, modernization had brought a tragic downfall to the town. Many of the trees had fallen, used to build homes or simply for being in the way of someone's view. Ventus had been particularly upset and Terra couldn't lie, he was upset as well. The tree under which he had first met Aqua was almost dead. Whether from lack of nutrients or because it was alone, he didn't know. However, it was no longer a majestic cherry blossom tree that overshadowed the town's bridge. In its place stood a sad hunched trunk with a few blossoms scattered across the brittle branches.

To many it had been a tree that brought prosperity to the land. Others claimed it was a sick tree that would have only infected other trees. To Terra however, it was like a fading memory that was becoming increasingly faint with each passing year. Gently patting the trunk as he passed by, Terra quietly crossed the bridge. Before the population boom, he could tell if Axel was home by just looking for a dark pillar of smoke arising from the center of town. Nowadays there were so many smoke stacks, he couldn't decipher with stack led to which home. It wasn't surprising to arrive only to find Axel either out, busy or asleep with the fire burning.

Sometimes he questioned his judgment for letting Roxas visit Axel at all.

Roxas, who in fact, was dashing across the street that very moment, arms burdened with firewood. Terra quickened his pace, catching up with his younger brother in three brisk strides. "Roxas!"

"I can't talk right now!" Roxas yelled in passing, darting back into the blacksmith's workshop. Tossing the wood aside, he quickly began sorting out the equipment again.

"It's alright, I just need to ask Axel about something—"

"He's not here," Roxas grumbled. Tossing a log into the fire pit, he turned to organize the work load he would need to complete in order of importance. "He left early in the morning after I showed up to start working. The jerk didn't even close the shop and now I'm stuck working overtime so he won't lose any customers."

"He didn't say when he'd be back?"

"He didn't even tell me where he was going!" snapped his brother, taking up an iron prod and arranging the firewood neatly so the flames weren't blazing wildly. "He just gave Kairi a note on the way out and ran off! Look at all of these swords I need to sharpen! I still need to make a ton of horse shoes for the traders and I haven't even started working on the steel someone commissioned yesterday for their wagon!"

"Roxas, if you need some help I can—"

"No! No, no, no—the last time you helped, Axel chewed me out for a week! You left a blade so battered that we had to make a new one for free in exchange!" Roxas grunted loudly, tossing a few blades into the fire. "Thanks but no thanks; I'd rather get yelled at for not getting stuff done than have you help me."

"Thanks Roxas. That really makes me feel appreciated."

He sighed, patting his hands down on the apron. "Why did you come over Terra? You never visit during the day, especially early in the morning. Don't you have to do the chores around the house? I'm pretty sure you haven't done all of them yet, especially since you're probably the only one around the house right now."

Terra held up the note. "Kairi brought me the note Axel sent but I can't read it. Do you mind?"

"Is it covered in charcoal?"

"Yes?"

"Then it's a lost cause," sighed Roxas, reaching back to adjust the ties to his black dusty apron. "I can usually read his handwriting but if he writes in charcoal, it's impossible to read. I don't see why he can't just invest in an ink pot and a brush. It's not that expensive."

"Yeah, well Axel doesn't exactly like to be…convenient," Terra mused, tossing the note into the fire. It crinkled and blackened, curling into itself before disintegrating into the flames. "I'll just come back later and ask him then. It's no big deal."

"He might have gone to see Yen Sid," Roxas mentioned hastily. Terra hesitated. Yen Sid was a popular character among the Kitsune of the village and his family. Despite never setting foot outside his home, he always managed to communicate between the families. Roxas had been annoyed to discover Axel's heritage; according to him, Axel was a danger to let around fire and couldn't be left alone anymore. Terra was fairly sure it was an excuse to visit town more often.

Roxas cleared his throat, reaching in to shift the placement of the swords before turning back to his brother. "I noticed that whenever he doesn't mention where he's going, he usually goes to see Yen Sid. I'm not sure why he went this time though. Usually, something important happens or he needs to pick up one of Aqua's sisters."

An awkward silence fell between them. "Xion is with Yen Sid, so I guess he could be picking her up but he would have been back by now…" Roxas continued weakly. Shifting uncomfortably in his spot, he straightened up. "You know Axel tried really hard to find a way over the ocean, right? I mean, there's only so much we could all do. He did try to find a route with Yen Sid, with their…magic, but there aren't many who can teleport so far away and come back themselves, let alone with another person."

"I know," Terra responded kindly. "It's alright. We all tried."

Roxas fidgeted anxiously. "So um, was that everything because I really have to get back to work...?"

Terra nodded. "Don't worry. That was everything. I'll try and keep dinner warm for you but if you're late don't worry about it. Sora's determined to catch a fish today so knowing him; we'll have fish stew for dinner tonight."

"I thought Kairi brought some fish and herbs up to the house this morning?"

"She did, but you know Sora. He'll catch some fish anyways. It's alright. We can just dry out the one's he'll catch. I'll see you later Roxas."

The walk back home was disappointing to say the least. Not only was he unsure of what the note said in the first place, he was more depressed than he had been when he'd walked by the dying cherry blossom tree earlier. As he passed by said tree however, something thin and small fell out of its branches and onto his back. Shouting out in alarm, he felt a hand cling to his shoulder and reacting quickly, he reached back to catch the fallen girl. Crouching down, he allowed her to clamber off his back.

Smoothing her clothes in a nervous manner, Naminé bowed her head in shame. "I'm so sorry Terra—I didn't mean to hurt you—"

"No damage done," Terra insisted gently. "I do want to know why you were in that dead tree though. It's dangerous up there."

"I know but the view is beautiful up there and I was hoping to catch a glimpse of something."

Terra frowned. "A glimpse of what?"

"It's nothing," Naminé answered quietly, brushing her hair back shyly. "I was going to paint the valley today but I ran out of paint and Riku's mom is still down at the river with Sora and Kairi."

"You didn't want to go fishing?"

Naminé shook her head. "It's not my sort of thing. I like to read and help the seamstress in town finish dying the fabrics for her work."

"You know Naminé, you don't really act like you're fifteen," Terra commented, slightly concerned. "Don't you have anyone else to hang out with?"

"I do, but they're all busy today. Usually I stay with Axel or Roxas, but Roxas is working and Axel went into the forest."

Terra frowned. "He's not visiting your sister or Yen Sid?"

"No."

"Then what is he doing in the forest?"

Naminé smiled. "Looking for a glimpse of something," she answered cheerily before bowing and turning back towards the inner town.

Terra sighed. He understood all of Aqua's sisters except for Naminé; she got along better with his father than anyone her age. She was...young in appearance but aged in spirit. In some cases, she reminded him of Aqua. In other cases however, she reminded him of his father's more philosophical moments. Not even bothering to adjust his now angled sword and uncomfortably crooked attire, Terra tiredly made his way back home. He still had to wash everyone's clothes and feed their livestock.

Approaching dinner time, he heard the familiar shrieks and laughter that announced Sora's arrival—Sora, Kairi, and a quiet Riku to be exact. Not even bothering to open the door, Terra continued folding the freshly washed laundry (of which he was incredibly proud of, therefore Sora could not approach it until after a long bath). Sora threw open the door, the frame shaking loudly but not loud enough to overshadow Sora's triumphant cry of 'I caught lots of fish!'

Terra simply nodded, well aware from just the looks on Kairi's face that Sora had probably only caught one or two fish and they were probably the runt of the litter. Still, he humored his little brother by looking into the wooden pail and gasping loudly in mock surprise. Riku rolled his eyes.

"The one's Sora caught were tiny and somewhere tadpoles, not fish."

"They were not!"

Riku ignored his best friend. "My mom went home and said I could stay to eat dinner here—Kairi too, because Axel isn't back yet."

"That's fine by me—"

Riku grabbed the pail of fish and began hauling it into the house. "I'm gonna start cooking."

"Hey, wait—you don't have to help—"

"No," Riku answered simply. "I'm not helping. I'm cooking."

Terra hesitated. "You're serious? You want to cook for all of us? That's a lot of people Riku—"

"Doesn't matter."

"What are you going to make then?"

"Stew"

"Are you sure you don't want any help?"

Riku nodded. "Mom said that if I was going to eat here then I had to make dinner because you always make dinner."

"Your mom worries too much," Terra mumbled, embarrassed. Allowing Kairi and Sora to set up the table (giggling every time they intentionally bugged Riku over the stew), Terra continued his task of placing the fresh laundry into their respective owner's room. Just as he was about to enter Vanitas's room, a loud insistent knock resounded through the home.

"That's probably Roxas, coming home from work," Terra grumbled, dumping the last of the clothes at the doorway and rising off his knees. "Sora, could you get the door?"

"He already did," Roxas responded wearily as he stepped into the hallway, dropping his smoky black apron onto his already discarded shoes. "Dinner smells great, who's cooking?"

"Riku—Roxas can't you at least no put that apron with the rest of your clothes?"

"No, it'll stink up my room."

"You sleep in the same room as Sora, it's impossible to make that room smell any worse."

Roxas ignored him; stepping around the corner towards his room. That was when Terra noticed. "What are you two doing here—when did you get here?"

"Oh yeah," Roxas drawled tiredly from inside. "Naminé and Xion are here too."

Terra scowled. "It's great to see you again Xion but really, what are you two doing here?"

"Axel sent me," Xion answered simply. "Naminé came because Riku's mom said she'd have more fun here than at home. Is Riku really cooking?"

"I hope so," Roxas called out from his room. "He cooks a lot better than Terra does."

"If you say that one more time, I'll never cook for you again." Terra muttered under his breath as he watched silently while the girls walked into the kitchen, comfortably navigating his home as if it were theirs. "Besides, I love having parties over."

He continued his chores while the kids giggled over freshly cut herbs and vegetables, Riku silently catering away. Once the food was done and everyone was at the table ready to eat, the backdoor began to shake furiously in its frame. Terra sighed, already rising to his feet. "Vanitas forgot something again, I just knew it—"

The door exploded inwards, a heavy crash echoing down the hall as its broken frame collided against the wall. The table fell silent in shock, Axel rushing into the house ecstatically. "Get up Terra."

"You broke into my house—"

"That's not new—"

"You kicked my door in—"

"No I didn't. I just set an explosion off near the lock—"

"You blew up my door?!"

"I didn't have a part in this," Vanitas stated calmly, bow and arrow still strapped to his back. "He dragged me back from the forest and took me home."

Riku held up an empty bowl silently. Nodding glumly, Vanitas took the bowl and began pouring soup for himself. Terra could feel the beginning of a headache coming on. "Axel, you can't keep _breaking into my house and not fixing it afterwords—"_

"Oh quit your bitching and come with me."

Kairi hummed quietly, sipping her soup to hide her smile when Sora immediately turned to Riku in order to express his shock. Axel unfolded his arms over his chest. "Hurry up, we haven't got all day."

"No—"

"Why do I even—Come on!" Axel snapped, reaching forward to grab Terra's arm and yank him out into the hall. "Hurry up!"

"But the kids—"

"I'll watch them," Vanitas shouted, words barely audible from a mouth full of fish fillets. "It's not like I have anything else to do."

Sora beamed. "Hey Van, can we go—"

"No. Sit your ass down and finish your food."

Roxas groaned. "Why can't we have a normal dinner for once?"

Terra fumbled to grasp one of the frames around the house as he was tugged away, listening to the conversation in the kitchen with terror. This was just a set up for disaster—Vanitas would either lose the kids or get into a fight with Roxas. "Axel, you have to let me go—"

"No—let go of the door frame you chicken, I have something to show you."

"I'm not letting go!" Terra yelped, his fingers slipping when Axel gave one last ferocious tug.

"Terra, you really need to start doing more farm work if I can pull you along this much for this long."

"_What is wrong with you?!"_

"I got you something."

"You couldn't bring it in the house?"

"Well I could but then all the work I put into getting it would be kind of pointless, don't you think?"

"_Axel—"_

Axel sighed, clearly tired of his own game by now. "Alright, just go into the forest ok? You can't miss it."

"How can I 'not miss it' when the whole forest is pitch black by now—"

"Because I lit the way," Axel teased, forming a small blue flame in the palm of his hand. "Now go—you shouldn't take too long. That is, unless you get lost in the forest."

Terra rolled his eyes, shoving Axel towards the house. "Just stay here and watch the kids."

"Aren't you afraid I'll burn down the house?"

"Even you aren't that stupid," Terra sang quietly under his breath, calmly stepping over a few branches scattered before him. Slowly making his way through the woodland, he continued muttering his displeasure. Sure enough, Axel had left a small path cleared and lit by a few floating, flickering blue flames but that didn't excuse him from being so irresponsible. The path of flames licking his feet was beginning to end, the only thing left before him a young, lone cherry blossom tree. Beyond was a sea of bamboo trees—trees that he recognized would lead to the meadow he'd once visited with Aqua. Terra sighed.

"What is he trying to prove?" Terra murmured, reaching up to gently swat the illuminated paper lantern that was propped up against the base of the tree. "Is this his way of telling me to get out more often?"

A smaller, smoother hand landed over his. Turning his head sharply to look behind the tree, he froze. Aqua's wide cerulean gaze met his, her mouth open from shock and cheeks flushed for reasons only known to her. The silence between them spread from a few seconds to a minute, neither of them able to break the gaze they shared. Aqua smiled slowly. "Terra, I—"

Terra grasped her arm, pulling her into a tight embrace. Burying his face into her neck and hair, he struggled to steady his racing heartbeat. "Aqua, I—you're actually here—I looked for you—_I looked everywhere for you_—"

Aqua sighed, relaxing in his arms and returning the embrace. Her fingers were beginning to dig into his back but he didn't mind. "I know you did," she whispered. "It's alright. There was nothing you could do."

"I'm so sorry that I couldn't help," He continued, breathing in and out slowly once before separating. She opened her mouth to speak but he interrupted with a grin. "Your sisters are fine—we did exactly as you asked. They all missed you a lot. Kairi's enjoying living in the village but she wants to go off on an adventure with my brother and Riku. Xion is planning on staying with Yen Sid and Naminé wants to stay in the village. She's a lot like you."

Aqua chuckled. "I didn't even have to ask."

"Your family is my family," He answered simply before lifting her into the air, spinning her around once and then placing her on the ground once more. Aqua laughed heartily, her arms wrapping firmly around his shoulders to embrace him again. "How did you get back?"

"It took a while but I found some of my kind—they were incredibly hospitable. Sometime last year, I heard about a boat that would be travelling across the sea and I just knew it had to coming here. I don't know how long I travelled for but once I got to shore, I knew I had made the right decision."

"Do you mind my asking what happened when you got there—wherever there is?"

Aqua hesitated, wrists beginning to slip from his shoulders. Reaching up to grasp her slender forearms, he shook his head. "It's fine. I understand."

Aqua shook her head, arms slipping out of his hands and tugging at his loose clothes to expose his collar bone. Terra flinched, instinctively shutting the layers of cloth over his chest, hiding the painful scar that was left as a reminder of that difficult day. Smiling feebly, he shrugged. "I think we both have moments that we'd rather not speak about right now."

She nodded quietly, reaching over to pick up the lantern's pole. "Let's go for a walk. We can talk."

"Aqua"

"Yes?" Terra smiled, leaning in and pressing his forehead against hers. She hesitated, staring up at him. His eyes were closed and for a long moment, he looked peaceful—that is, until she fidgeted self-consciously. "Terra, I don't mean to pry but what are you doing?"

"Absorbing your aura."

"What?"

"That way a part of you will always be with me."

Aqua snickered. "Terra, that's a little silly, don't you think?"

"Do you think it's silly?" Terra asked honestly, opening his eyes to look at her for an answer. She couldn't find it in her to say yes. Flushing pink, she averted her gaze. "Well Aqua?"

"N-Not necessarily," she mumbled, suddenly overwhelmingly conscious of his gaze, his darker slate blue eyes humored by her slight discomfort. "What are you doing now?"

"Thinking about all the things that we have to discuss," he replied simply.

"Such as?"

"What your sisters did while you were gone. The things I did to pass the time or to search for you. The adventures you had while we looked for you—"

Aqua gasped, turning to face him in shock. "I didn't _leave_ to have adventures in a foreign land Terra—"

She froze. His face was just inches above hers, expression almost daring her to continue her outburst. Slowly, the mocking look dissipated, an odd look overcoming his previous one. Leaning in slowly, she pressed her lips against his, her heart pounding in her chest. Terra reached up to her face, cupping her cheeks and reciprocating the kiss with adoration before initiating a second kiss. They continued kissing feverishly, her arms wrapping around his neck and his own arms wrapped about her waist. It wasn't until they knocked against the thin tree that they broke apart, laughing nervously. "I think we really do have a lot to talk about, don't we?" Aqua whispered, embarrassed.

Terra grinned, gently poking her nose with his now free hand. "Don't worry. It can wait. You must be hungry and I can't just keep you all to myself when your sisters are waiting at my house—oh and Aqua?"

"Yes?"

"Welcome home."

* * *

><p><strong>First of all...We're done! Thank you so much for the support, reviews, commentaries, critique, etc! I really appreciated each and every one of you; every review was a joy to receive. I almost wish this wasn't over but all things must come to an end. I'm sorry it took so long to post the epilogue but I had to focus on my school work before I could find the time to finish this baby.<strong>

**A big shout out to KAISRE; without you and your beautiful fanart(s), this story would have never happened. For all of you who haven't checked out KAISRE's art, please do so! They're a wonderful person and a fantastic artist/fanfiction author!  
><strong>

**To my constant reviewers; you know who you are. Thank you. You kept me going when I thought I couldn't write anymore and seemed to review when I felt like my day was going wrong. I hope that sometime soon I'll be able to write something else that will be to your taste.  
><strong>

**Thank you for everything. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it! ~LightBloom  
><strong>


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